The organizers of the Democratic National Convention kept touting their "green" credentials. However, even Democratic National Convention attendees realize that carbon offsets are a boondoggle as Aspen's Canary Initiative raised less than $20 for carbon offsets.
The program, set up by the DNC Host Committee through the Denver Convention and Visitors Bureau and rolled out about a week before the convention started, raised a total of $18.34 worth of Canary Tags, offsetting 0.9 tons of carbon emissions.
The offsets were aimed at DNC-goers other than the official delegates, who had a separate carbon offset program through Vermont-based Native Energy. That program, set up in January through the Democratic National Convention Committee, was utilized by 65 percent of the DNC’s 4,440 delegates.
The official program for DNC delegates went to the school-district-owned wind turbine in Wray that has yet to actually produce any power.
Even with the failure of Democrats to pay indulgences for carbon offsets, Aspen's Canary Initiative still has hope for future suckers customers via government programs. In fact, the initiative is a government program itself, as the City of Aspen hosts the Canary Initiative website.
“Any convention that comes to Denver has a way to easily calculate its carbon impact,” said Kim Peterson, director of Aspen’s Canary Initiative.
The Canary Initiative’s Canary Tags program was selected because it has been up and running for several years and has a portfolio of in-state projects. The Denver offset program could eventually partner with a carbon offsetting program through Gov. Bill Ritter’s Energy Office and its Colorado Carbon fund, but the Web site still directs offset purchasers to Aspen’s Canary Tags Web site.
Peterson was hoping funds raised through the host committee for the DNC could be used for a signature project. But that will not be possible, as less than $20 was raised.
“Here’s three (compact fluorescent) light bulbs for the office,” Peterson said.
As a user of compact fluorescent light bulbs myself, I know that the Canary Initiative could purchase six or more bulbs at Wal*Mart for the same price. However, Aspen's Canary Initiative seems to be more interested in making money from guilty travelers and taxpayer dollars than spending wisely.
by Civil Sense
Interesting article! I think you might have missed something. Not many attendees purchased offsets AT the convention, they purchased offsets before they got there.
From the DNC site:
With nearly 2,900 delegates and alternates from every state in the country participating, the program was a clear success. In fact, 31 states and territories offset 100% of their Convention related travel.
Posted by: matt feldman | September 16, 2008 at 05:46 PM