Organizers of the Democratic National Convention now in full swing in Denver have taken a lot of steps to reduce both the event’s carbon footprint and its overall impact on the environment. In fact, they say their mission is to produce "the most environmentally sustainable political convention in modern American history."
Among the green innovations presumptive presidential nominee Barack Obama, Democratic leaders and and delegates are encountering:
Just in time for thousands of delegates, press, politicians, staffers, and protesters descending on the city, Denver’s Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau (DMCVB) last week launched an online carbon calculator to help those coming to the Mile-High City figure out just what the environmental impact of their visit might be. The Carbon Calculator and Offset Program allows travelers, tourists, and event planners an easy way to calculate the tons of CO² emissions their trip will produce, determines the amount of carbon credits necessary to offset their trip, and directs users to a website where they can purchase the recommended amount of offsets. Read the rest of this entry »
Joke all you want about politicians’ hot air contributing to global warming, but at least the folks attending the Democratic and Republican National Conventions this summer will have a chance to limit their greenhouse gas emissions off the convention floors.
That’s because both Denver and Minneapolis/St. Paul plan to use their respective conventions to kick off a new bike-sharing program called “Freewheelin.” Created by the health benefits company Humana Inc. and the not-for-profit Bikes Belong, Freewheelin will bring 1,000 bikes to each city during the convention. Convention-goers will be able to use the bicycles free of charge to get around town without the need for cars.
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