Gore’s ‘Greenies’

The latest Democratic National Convention pledged to be the ‘greenest’ ever.  Part of the DNC Host Committee’s strategy was to partner with Aspen, Colorado based Aspen’s Canary Initiative.  Aspen’s Canary Initiative sells ‘Canary Tags,’ which are carbon offset credits.  The proceeds from the sales are then reinvested into ‘green’ projects across the state of Colorado.

Naturally, the party of Gore would be moved to buy lots and lots of carbon offset credits, right?  Because they care about the environment, right?  Let’s see:

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.

It looks like the conventioneers followed in the footprints of Al “do as I say, not as I do” Gore after all.  Supposing that $15 is the cost of offsetting one ton of carbon, then the DNC offset about 1.2 tons of carbon.  How does that number stack up to the DNC carbon offset goal?  The DNC’s goal was to reduce it by one ton per attendee.  Considering more than 80,000 people were in attendance to watch Obama’s acceptance speech, it is safe to say that this project was an absolute failure.

What does Kim Peterson, director of Aspen’s Canary Initiative, have to say about $18.34?

“Here’s three (compact fluorescent) light bulbs for the office,” Peterson said.

Way to go, Greenies!  80,000+ of you managed to pitch in and buy three lightbulbs in your efforts to save the world from climate change.