The Denver Democratic National Convention is going to great lengths this year to be the greenest convention in DNC history. From the Convention Committee's Suggested Lean 'N Green Guidelines, which encourage on-site vendors and Denver restaurants to serve a colorful palette of foods to the newest green initiative to replace 70,000 plastic hotel key cards with birch wood alternatives in 90 of Denver's hotels, the Greening Committee led by Andrea Robinson is working tirelessly to green the convention. Even Molson Coors Brewing Company is advancing the environmental awareness movement by donating fuel made from beer waste to power the DNC car fleet.
Check the schedule for a selection of the Convention's green events:
Sunday AUGUST 24th, 2008
* Colorado Green Frontier Fest
The event encourages visitors to embrace a greener lifestyle. The festival will feature a local farmers market, eco-friendly games, and guest speakers Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter and actress/environmentalist Daryl Hannah.
10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Denver Performing Arts Complex, Sculpture Park, 950 13th Street; Denver
(303) 819-5935
* Air Forest Yoga Health Festival
Air Forest will host a two-day festival featuring yoga workshops and family oriented events.
Park: City Park Flower Garden
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
www.dialogcity.org
MONDAY AUGUST 25th, 2008
* The Politics of Green: The Future of Environmentalism
Attend The New Republic's discussion series on the importance of environmentalism. Guests include Carl Pope, the executive director of the Sierra Club, Harvard Law professor Cass R. Sunstein, and editor of The New Republic Franklin Foer.
4-5:30 p.m.
The Tattered Cover Book Store, 1628 16th Street at Wynkoop; Denver
* Green Constitutional Congress: A Symposium on the Future of Environmental Action
The seminar will facilitate discussion on environmental activism. Participants include David Orr of Oberlin College, Designer Bruce Mau of the Massive Change project and representatives from the University of Colorado Denver.
* Air Forest Yoga Health Festival
The second day of the Air Forest two-day yoga festival.
Park: City Park Flower Garden
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
www.dialogcity.org
TUESDAY AUGUST 26th, 2008
* Sustainability Tour of National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Visit the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's facilities: the NREL's solar, biomass, and wind research centers. View the lab's wind turbine and solar powered buildings.
8:15 a.m.-12 noon, or 9:45 a.m.-1 p.m.
15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden
E-mail public_affairs@nrel.gov or call (303) 275-4090
* Willie Nelson concert
Attend eco-activist Willie Nelson's concert and celebrate his environmental activism.
* Concert For a Cooler Planet: Death Cab For Cutie Concert
This event, which features an acoustic performance by members of the band Death Cab For Cutie is hosted by the League of Conservation Voters.
League of Conservation Voters
9:30 PM - 2:00 AM
1770 Sherman Event Complex
Email Sean Mossman at sean@perstrategies.com
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 27th, 2008
* Sustainability Tour of Ponnequin Wind Farm
Tour Colorado's first commercial wind farm. The wind farm hosts 44 wind turbines and can produce over 30 megawatts of electricity, which is enough to power 9,000 homes. The wind farm is located at a bison ranch on the Colorado-Wyoming border.
Hours: 8 a.m.-12 noon
Northern Colorado along the Wyoming border
E-mail rebecca.swisher@xcelenergy.com or call (720) 497-2169
THURSDAY AUGUST 28th, 2008
* Sustainability Tour of the National Wind Technology Center
Explore the Department of Energy's National Wind Technology Center, which hosts wind-to-hydrogen technology.
8 a.m.-12 noon
15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden
E-mail public_affairs@nrel.gov or call (303) 275-4090
WEEKLONG GREEN INITIATIVES:
* Huffington Post Oasis Spa
Visit the Huffington Post's Oasis Spa for complimentary yoga classes, massages, mini-facials, organic snacks, and internet access.
* Tour of Alliance For Sustainable Colorado Center
The Alliance For Sustainable Colorado will host hourly tours of its LEED and U.S. Green Building Council: Gold certified center. It is one of two buildings in the world to receive the dual credentials.
Sat. - Sun., 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Mon. - Fri., 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
1536 Wynkoop Street, Denver
(303) 572-1536
* Freewheelin' Bike-Share Program
This bike-share initiative enables all Convention attendants to use the 1,000 bikes supplied by Humana and Bikes Belong. Pre-register for a bike beforehand.
Related:
::Read Ben Carmichael's blog on what makes the democratic convention sustainable from the Huffington Post.
::Read about the GOP's race to be the greenest convention in GOP history on the Huffington Post.
::More at the Huffington Post Democratic Convention big news page.