Opinion
It’s not easy bein’ green
By: Jeff Dufour
Editor at Large/Columnist, "Yeas & Nays"
09/12/08 12:06 AM EDT
Convention offsets?Democrats promised this summer that their convention in Denver would be the greenest in memory. And with all the biodegradable cutlery, recycling stations and organic cotton merchandise, who are we to disagree?
But how green is flying an entire congressional caucus halfway across the country, anyway? According to TerraPass.com, a Web site that calculates your “carbon footprints” and sells carbon credits, one direct, round-trip coach flight from Dulles to Denver emits 910 pounds of CO2 per person. Had a member flown first-class, that bumps it up to 1,335 pounds per person.
What about the Republicans? One direct, round-trip flight from Dulles to Minneapolis-St. Paul. emits 758 pounds per person in coach, or 1,016 pounds per person in first class.
Now, of course, not everyone flew from Washington to the conventions. Some members live near the convention sites, and others flew in from their respective districts. But for argument’s sake, let’s assume they all flew from Washington. Forty-nine Democratic senators plus 235 Dems in the House flying in coach equals 258,440 pounds of CO2. Forty-nine Republican senators, plus independent Joe Lieberman who spoke on John McCain’s behalf plus 199 House GOPers equals 188,742 pounds of emissions.
Perhaps they should stay closer to home. In 2004, the GOP held its convention in New York. A shuttle flight from Reagan National to LaGuardia only accounts for 392 pounds of CO2 per person. And the Dems set up camp in Boston. A shuttle to Logan is 680 pounds per person.
