by Frank James
It goes without saying that there will be a lot of hot air in the form of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases when the Democrats convene in August for their presidential nominating convention, especially if there isn't a nominee by that point.
And some of that heated air will no doubt be contributing to the global-warming problem.
So the party of Al Gore, earnest as it is when it comes to the environment, has decided to take a big step towards making their convention a much greener affair. Democrats have hired an official carbon advisor, Camco International Group, for the convention.
Here's how the Democratic National Covention Committee explained it:
To help minimize the four-day event's overall impact on the environment, Camco will be working with the DNCC during the coming months to measure the Convention's carbon footprint, strengthen existing programs and make recommendations about how to minimize and/or offset the Convention's carbon output."This 2008 Democratic National Convention will make history in so many ways - and our commitment to making this the 'greenest' Convention ever is no exception," said Leah D. Daughtry, CEO of the DNCC. "Camco, a world-renowned pioneer in the sustainability field, will help us make good on that goal by turning climate change liabilities into environmental assets."
As the Official Carbon Advisor, Camco will work with the DNCC to estimate the Convention's carbon footprint; quantify the greenhouse gas benefits of various environmental initiatives including waste reduction, energy efficiency and the use of alternative fuel and hybrid vehicles; and advise on opportunities to offset the remaining emissions produced from hosting the Convention.
Denver, a city well-known known for its smog, could use all the help the Democrats can provide. There's even a http://denverozone.blogspot.com/ blog about it.
So the effort is nothing to sneeze, or better yet, cough at.
But it struck a few of us in the newsroom as almost a little too goody two shoes to have carbon adviser for a politcial convention. "What are they going to do, go around turning off lights?" said one of my wise-guy colleagues of the carbon adviser concept.
Anyway, given all the delegates and media planning on descending on Denver in ozone-harming airliners and driving around the city in pollution-producing cars, there'll be a fair amount of carbon to offset, that's certain.
With Sen. John McCain, a believer in global warming and capping and trading emissions, winning the Republican nomination, maybe the Republican convention planners will soon announce their own carbon adviser for their Minneapolis get-together.
Come to think of it, with the way things are going in journalism these days, maybe this carbon adviser business is something for us journalists to seriously start looking into.
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Comments
Boy...if this isn't fodder for the right...I don't know what is. I understand that at the RNC convention, everyone gets to pick a new country to invade.
ps...I just hate seeing all the people on the right having all the fun with this.
Posted by: bill "Hussein" r. | March 6, 2008 3:35 PM
It is laughable. The Dem convention will have a carbon footprint the size of Colorado (or the size of Al Gore, whichever is greater) and they hire these expensive foreign (Camco is a UK company) consultants to give them absolution.
Interesting note: Rick Adcock, a high officer in Camco, is a former legislative aide to (guess who) Al Gore himself. see http://www.cfoconferences.com/green2008/speakers.shtml
for the details. Guess the Dem payoffs to Camco gotta be funneled to the Al Gore "family".
Posted by: Bruce | March 6, 2008 3:49 PM
It is laughable. The Dem convention will have a carbon footprint the size of Colorado
Posted by: Bruce | March 6, 2008 3:49 PM
RNC Brucie,
Yeah, it's almost as laughable as the Republic Party members who will have to pass by Larry Craig's mens room on their way to their redneck reunion in Minneapolis.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m24vmKkcpQA&feature=related
Posted by: John E | March 6, 2008 4:30 PM
Wow. I thought this was going to about how the Dems were determined to pull together and have a civil convention with no shrieking recriminations from those denied the nomination. I guess that was too much to hope for.
Posted by: Deborah | March 6, 2008 4:32 PM
If Hiliary is elected president then that means that a majority of the voters have decided to install her as the Commander and Chief of the Armed Forces. I suppose that makes Bill the First Man, with not a whole lot to do except manage the female aids. That sounds like the fox guarding the hen house dosen’t it. But wait, Bill can also devote quite a bit of time to his foundation and valued contributors. What a deal, it sounds like having your cake and eating it too. Or to make the situation even more profoundly absurd if something happens to Hiliary then Bill’s back. Vote Republican and your worst concerns are over.
Posted by: John's Son | March 6, 2008 4:46 PM
If Hiliary is elected president then that means that a majority of the voters have decided to install her as the Commander and Chief of the Armed Forces. I suppose that makes Bill the First Man, with not a whole lot to do except manage the female aids. That sounds like the fox guarding the hen house dosen’t it. But wait, Bill can also devote quite a bit of time to his foundation and valued contributors. What a deal, it sounds like having your cake and eating it too. Or to make the situation even more profoundly absurd if something happens to Hiliary then Bill’s back. Vote Republican and your worst concerns are over.
Posted by: John's Son | March 6, 2008 4:47 PM
Vote Republican and your worst concerns are over.
Posted by: John's Son | March 6, 2008 4:46 PM
Dude, you are almost a parody of yourself.
Concerns over Economy Push
George W. Bush's Overall Job Approval to New Low
George W. Bush's overall job approval rating has dropped to a new low in American Research Group polling as 78% of Americans say that the national economy is getting worse according to the latest survey from the American Research Group.
Among all Americans, 19% approve of the way Bush is handling his job as president and 77% disapprove. When it comes to Bush's handling of the economy, 14% approve and 79% disapprove.
http://americanresearchgroup.com/economy/
Posted by: John E | March 6, 2008 5:14 PM
Oh gawd, I hope we don't have to hear another John D'Mime diatribe about using propane for coolant.
Posted by: allajoke | March 6, 2008 6:05 PM
John E,
Looks like 'Bruce' has lost all knowledge of what's actually laughable.
Posted by: C.Morris | March 6, 2008 6:26 PM
Many hundreds of thousands of dollars of DNC/Obama/Clinton II campaign contributions will be doled out to this Brit firm. "Outsourcing", anyone?
That news should make Democrat contributors proud.
Posted by: Bruce | March 6, 2008 7:34 PM
Clinton’s NAFTA switcheroo and Canadian meddling
Well, the Canadian press is reporting that it was actually the Clinton campaign that sent word to the Canadian government not to take the anti-NAFTA talk to seriously.
Somehow, by the time the story made it to print, Canada’s conservative Prime Minister’s office had “leaked” a memo that said it was Obama’s campaign that was saying not to worry about NAFTA. The Clinton part of the story was ignored.
This begs two questions: what is Canada doing meddling in our election and why was the Clinton campaign's involvement in this dropped from the story?
From the Globe and Mail:
“The news agency quoted that source as saying that Mr. Brodie said that someone from Ms. Clinton'scampaign called and was "telling the embassy to take it with a grain of salt."
The story was followed by CTV's Washington bureau chief, Tom Clark, who reported that the Obama campaign, not the Clinton's, had reassured Canadian diplomats.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080306.NAFTA06/TPStory/National
Posted by: Walter | March 6, 2008 8:53 PM