GREEN CITY HOLDS GREEN CONVENTION

Jeff Glaze - August 19, 2008

The transformation of Denver is in full swing as the city prepares for thousands of delegates, reporters, and protesters to converge for next week’s Democratic National Convention. With the environment playing such a prominent role in the platform of Senator Obama, both the city of Denver and the DNC are stepping up to promote a green convention.

Walking through Denver’s downtown conveys a rather strange urban experience. The streets are in pristine condition. City employees can often be spotted with broom and dustpan in hand, sweeping up any unsightly debris that may have been left behind. Clean public transportation is also being provided and encouraged on a large scale. The MallRide buses that run up and down 16th Street are hybrid electric powered and free to ride. Denver’s light rail system is electric powered and runs perpendicular to the buses and is very affordable to ride. Bicycles, cabs, and horse-drawn carriages are also constantly visible in the Denver’s downtown district.

Work is being done in and around the Pepsi Center and Invesco Field at a furious pace. The first impression of the DNCC is found near the gates surrounding the Pepsi Center grounds. A massive solar array is in place to help power the lighting at the convention. Next to the solar array is the convention fleet, entirely made up of Chevrolet hybrid vehicles. Closer to the Pepsi Center, water stations are set up near the porta-potties for convention guests to wash their hands. A sign attached to the water station reads, “Welcome to the greenest DNC ever. Right down to the hand-sanitizer.”

In an era where being green is being cool, the DNCC and the city of Denver’s meticulous attention to greening the convention is showing. Without a doubt, as delegations begin to arrive, they will be pleasantly surprised by the collaborative effort to reduce this convention’s carbon footprint. With the addition of Al Gore to the convention’s list of speakers, it is obvious that the Democratic Party is taking the environment very seriously during this campaign. Next Thursday when Senator Obama takes the stage to accept the Democratic nomination, he will be making history, but leaving little behind.