[vvillyd]

So I think you should define what you mean by "green wire". The NEC allows EGCs, GECs, MBJs, and SBJs to all use green wire. They all serve different purposes, and only the GEC is connected to the Earth. Whether or not the GEC is present the EGC and MBJ/SBJ is what allows breakers to work properly.

The MBJ/SBJ is what bonds the neutral. This doesn't have anything to do with the Earth. This bonding has to be done anywhere between the origination of the circuit and the first overcurrent protective device.

The GEC is what connects to the Earth. This is used to stabilize voltage and to eliminate a difference in potential between metal parts during a high frequency event (like a nearby lightning strike or a transformer blowing up). This has nothing to do with the operation of breakers.