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June 26, 2008
It's Not Easy Being Green For Democrat Convention ~ LOL
Hundreds of free bikes will be available for anyone looking for an alternative to automobiles during the Democratic convention in Denver -- and also in Minneapolis-St. Paul when the Republicans convene.
From left, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, Director of Bikes Belong Tim Blumenthal, convention organizer Parry Burnap and Dan Oftedahl of Humana, which will provide the free bikes, announced the initiative in early May.
Democrats hope to power media pavilions in part with solar energy. Wind energy will be used to power the convention halls
The Greenest Show on Earth: Democrats Gear Up for Denver
From Organic Fanny Packs to 'Pure' Trash, Party Planners Face Logistical Nightmare
As the Mile High City gears up to host a Democratic bash for 50,000, organizers are discovering the perils of trying to stage a political spectacle that's also politically correct.
Fanny Packs
The host committee for the Democratic National Convention wanted 15,000 fanny packs for volunteers. But they had to be made of organic cotton. By unionized labor. In the USA.
Official merchandiser Bob DeMasse scoured the country. His weary conclusion: "That just doesn't exist."
Ditto for the baseball caps. "We have a union cap or an organic cap," Mr. DeMasse says. "But we don't have a union-organic offering."
Much of the hand-wringing can be blamed on Denver's Democratic mayor, John Hickenlooper, who challenged his party and his city to "make this the greenest convention in the history of the planet."
Convention organizers hired the first-ever Director of Greening, longtime environmental activist Andrea Robinson. Her response to the mayor's challenge: "That terrifies me!"
After all, the last time Democrats met in Denver -- to nominate William Jennings Bryan in 1908 -- they dispatched horse-drawn wagons to bring snow from the Rocky Mountains to cool the meeting hall. Ms. Robinson suspected modern-day delegates would prefer air conditioning. So she quickly modified the mayor's goal: She'd supervise "the most sustainable political convention in modern American history."
Now, she must pull it off.
To test whether celebratory balloons advertised as biodegradable actually will decompose, Ms. Robinson buried samples in a steaming compost heap. She hired an Official Carbon Adviser, who will measure the greenhouse-gas emissions of every placard, every plane trip, every appetizer prepared and every coffee cup tossed. The Democrats hope to pay penance for those emissions by investing in renewable energy projects.
Perhaps Ms. Robinson's most audacious goal is to reuse, recycle or compost at least 85% of all waste generated during the convention.
The Trash Brigade
To police the four-day event Aug. 25-28, she's assembling (via paperless online signup) a trash brigade. Decked out in green shirts, 900 volunteers will hover at waste-disposal stations to make sure delegates put each scrap of trash in the proper bin. Lest a fork slip into the wrong container unnoticed, volunteers will paw through every bag before it is hauled away.
To police the four-day event Aug. 25-28, she's assembling (via paperless online signup) a trash brigade. Decked out in green shirts, 900 volunteers will hover at waste-disposal stations to make sure delegates put each scrap of trash in the proper bin. Lest a fork slip into the wrong container unnoticed, volunteers will paw through every bag before it is hauled away.
"That's the only way to make sure it's pure," Ms. Robinson says.
Food
No fried food. And, on the theory that nutritious food is more vibrant, each meal should include "at least three of the following colors: red, green, yellow, blue/purple, and white." (Garnishes don't count.) At least 70% of ingredients should be organic or grown locally, to minimize emissions from fuel burned during transportation. "One would think," says Mr. Burns, "that the Democrats in Denver have bigger fish to bake -- they have ruled out frying already -- than mandating color-coordinated pretzel platters."
The city has staged "greening workshops" attended by hundreds of caterers, restaurant owners and hotel managers.
"It's the new patriotism," Mayor Hickenlooper says.
Coors Conflict
But it's almost inevitable that principles, politics and profit will conflict. To wit: Coors Brewing Co., in Golden, Colo., will donate biofuel made from beer waste to power the convention's fleet of flex-fuel vehicles. A green star for the convention -- but it has rankled die-hard liberals, who boycotted Coors in the 1960s and '70s to protest hiring practices that they said discriminated against blacks, Latinos, women and gays. Heirs to the Coors fortune have long been active in conservative causes and Republican politics.
Convention officials say Coors is a good corporate citizen. And a Coors spokeswoman says the donation was a gesture of civic pride, not politics.
No matter, grumbles Anna Flynn, a longtime union member from Denver who objected to the donation. "Any way you put it, it's still Coors," she says.
So will the fanny packs -- made in the USA of undyed, organic fabric. Mr. DeMasse vows to get a union shop to print the logo, but he says the ink will be petroleum based. Unless, that is, he decides to get the logo embroidered -- with biodegradable thread.
Wild Thing's comment.......
LOL This is going to be so much fun to watch....too bad Hillary won't be a major player to stir things up.
"Decked out in green shirts, 900 volunteers will hover at waste-disposal stations to make sure delegates put each scrap of trash in the proper bin. Lest a fork slip into the wrong container unnoticed, volunteers will paw through every bag before it is hauled away."
LMAO this is rich! hahaha They could call them the Green Nazi Patrol. And if they were really serious they should ban all private jets to the convention.
You just know if Gore is going to be there he will be arriving on his private jet.
Posted by Wild Thing at June 26, 2008 12:45 AM
Comments
No fried chicken or plastic bottled water in Denver permitted? WTF? "Fat Bottom Girl's" by Queen playing? Watch and see how many vendors and hotels and caterers get $TIFFED when the BILL$ are not paid! Dems get one room and pack it with 8 people. Trust me on this deal....
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at June 26, 2008 01:24 AM
This is just getting stupid, now! Being "green" is one thing, if you decide to run your own life that way, but being so pent up and out of shape over it is another.
This is funny, too, because I grew up about 3 miles from the Coors brewery and the smell was something you got used to and began to love after awhile and I never knew them to be racists in any way. They hired the best, plain and simple.
But Hickeyloopy has lost his marbles!
I'd love to see some red neck republicans show up outside the convention with their gas guzzling trucks and motorhomes, smoking, and eating fried and tailgate foods and protesting the "green" event.
Can't anyone see how stupid we're all being? Gosh, even the Discovery Channel is now the Green channel. Like I can't figure this out for myself. I guess they figure I can't tie my own shoes without help either.
Posted by: Lynn at June 26, 2008 04:33 AM
Their going GREEN is nothing but hypocrisy. They get flown around in their private jets- they get driven around in limos or they drive big suvs and live in mansions. I hope they all make themselves feel better by having a green convention- what a farce-- they make me sick!! Their carbon footprints are no doubt bigger than 99% of the American public.
That is almost the dumbest bunch of crap I have heard so far this week!!A bunch of tax money going down the drain for a bunch of idiots. The dems- are out there circling Jupiter!! How about we forget about going green and go for drilling some oil!!
The voters need to get serious about getting these losers out of office- before they vote in another raise they don't deserve! They sure didn't deserve the one they gave themselves last week!!!
Posted by: Cheryl Zee at June 26, 2008 08:04 AM
I'm so sick and tired of hearing Green, Green, Green constantly on TV and radio. Besides, I think the Fall with its oranges, reds, and yellows is much prettier than spring with its green.
Posted by: BobF at June 26, 2008 09:06 AM
Darth, LMAO oh my gawd yessss and I can just imagine that happening too. hahahahaha
Posted by: Wild Thing at June 26, 2008 12:44 PM
Lynn, Hahahhaa oh yessss LMAO I would love that to happen.
Posted by: Wild Thing at June 26, 2008 12:51 PM
Cheryl Zee LOL "That is almost the dumbest bunch of crap..." I agree.
I hope and pray the GOP does not do this kind of baloney. Please God don't let this happen.
Posted by: Wild Thing at June 26, 2008 12:56 PM
BobF,heh heh good one. Yes there are lots of beautiful colors in the fall. Gorgeous.
Posted by: Wild Thing at June 26, 2008 01:00 PM
It would be great if an independent organization monitored the "greenness" of the Democratic Convention and issued a report card afterwards. It could include a picture of Al Gore arriving on his private jet.
The report card would also be a template of what an Obama White House and Democrat controlled Congress has in store for the rest of the country.
Posted by: Les at June 26, 2008 05:23 PM
Les, LOL that would be funny the end of the report with the picture of Gore like that. heh heh
Posted by: Wild Thing at June 26, 2008 11:15 PM
