2004 Democratic Convention to be History's "Greenest"
BOSTON---July 8, 2004
The Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) and Boston
2004, Inc., the host committee for the 2004 Democratic National
Convention, announced today their plans to make the Democratic
National Convention the greenest political convention in American
history. To reach this goal, the DNCC and Boston 2004, Inc., have
conducted all-department meetings focused on environmental issues,
have worked extensively with the
Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Conventions (CERC),
and have collaborated with other organizations to design a multi-faceted
plan to ensure an environmentally friendly Convention.
"Without a doubt, this political convention will be the most
environmentally friendly in our nation's history," said Rod O'Connor,
CEO of the DNCC. "This has been a team effort, and we want to
thank all of the people and organizations we have worked with
on this project."
"The environmental plan for this convention serves as an example
of the great strides being made to incorporate conservation initiatives
and green building techniques into large events and construction
projects throughout the city of Boston," said Julie Burns, Executive
Director of Boston 2004, Inc. "I am proud of the efforts that
our local companies have made to incorporate these innovative
techniques and conservation measures into their work with the
convention."
"It is great to see the Democratic National Convention planners
showcasing environmental solutions by incorporating simple measures
that can protect the earth and provide a quality convention experience,"
said Bruce Hamilton, National Conservation Director for the Sierra
Club. "Democrats have regularly promoted renewable energy, recycling,
mass transportation, and reducing pollution that leads to global
warming. It is encouraging to see a major national convention
that reflects these environmental values."
Convention organizers have launched the following environmental
initiatives:
Powering the Convention with Renewable Energy
Working with CERC and Constellation NewEnergy (a subsidiary of
Constellation Energy Group, a Baltimore-based Fortune 500 national
energy company), the supplier of electricity at the FleetCenter,
Convention organizers obtained Renewable Energy Credits (RECs)
to match the electricity needed for the FleetCenter and the media
work stations during the four days of the Convention. A variety
of renewable sources including wind, hydroelectric power, biomass,
and solar energy will be used. The purchase of these renewable
energy certificates and green electricity are Green-e certified
to meet the stringent consumer and environmental protection standards
of the non-profit Center for Resource Solutions. Through this
initiative, the DNCC and Boston 2004, Inc., are directly supporting
renewable energy sources, which emit very low levels of greenhouse
gases and displace energy derived from power plants that depend
on fuel from overseas. Renewable energy sources are naturally
replenished by the sun, wind, rainfall, and organic waste.
The Convention will also utilize a 250-kilowatt fuel cell power
plant, supplied by Connecticut-based FuelCell Energy, Inc. (NasdaqNM:FCEL),
to power Convention events at the FleetCenter. FuelCell Energy's
DFC300A power plant, a unit with enough power to provide the base
load electricity requirements of a 300-room hotel, will directly
convert natural gas, supplied by Keyspan Energy, through a patented
internal reforming process into the hydrogen needed to electrochemically
produce electricity. FuelCell Energy's DFC power plants generate
power without combustion and, due to their favorable emissions
profile, are an ultra-clean product since they meet the most stringent
air quality standards in the nation. FuelCell Energy's DFC300A
power plant will produce 99.9% less harmful air pollution and
59% less carbon dioxide than traditional combustion-based fossil
fuel power plants, and will use half as much fuel per kilowatt
hour of electricity than conventional power plants. The use of
the fuel cell not only contributes to promoting the use of clean
and efficient energy generation, it will also limit harmful emissions
in the area around the FleetCenter during the Convention. To date,
FuelCell Energy has generated over 40 million kilowatt-hours of
electricity from 30 global installations at customer sites.
Carbon Emissions Offset Program
Using the 2002 Winter Olympics as a model, the DNCC and Boston
2004 have worked with CERC to offset the greenhouse gas (carbon
dioxide or CO2) emissions attributable to the Convention. This
was accomplished by acquiring greenhouse gas reduction credits,
generated from a variety of CO2 reduction projects. The greenhouse
gas emissions attributable to the Convention were estimated by
CERC and include fossil-fuel combustion emissions from all forms
of transportation used to bring delegates to and from the Convention
(buses, cars, and trains). The greenhouse gas credits, which are
quantified reductions generated from renewable energy projects,
reforestation efforts, and other projects, will be retired on
behalf of the delegates, compensating for the CO2 emissions attributable
to their travel.
Recycling at the Fleet Center and in Media Work Stations
The DNCC and Boston 2004, Inc., have adopted a comprehensive
recycling plan for the FleetCenter and the media work stations.
Bins for the recycling of mixed paper, cans, and bottles will
be conveniently located throughout the FleetCenter and media work
stations, including the press pavilion and workspace located on
Causeway and North Washington streets. In addition, Convention
organizers have adopted a policy of using recycled white paper
throughout all of their office operations and in all media work
stations.
The DNCC, partnering with Scanlon Associates, will also launch
the Recycled Paper Poster Project, which will take wastepaper
generated by the first day of the Convention and, within twenty-four
hours, transform it into posters that are given to Convention
attendees. The Project was conceived by Patrick Scanlon, a decorated
Vietnam Veteran, and a resident of Andover, Massachusetts. After
the first night of the Convention, the wastepaper will be shipped
from the FleetCenter to the Haverhill Paperboard Mill in Haverhill,
Massachusetts. The wastepaper will be fed onto the mills intake
conveyor system and deposited directly into the hydro-pulper.
The recycled paper will be manufactured into paperboard, cut into
sheets, wrapped, and palletized for shipment. The sheets of paperboard
will then be transported to the Journeyman Press in Newburyport,
Massachusetts. They will print the posters, cut them to size,
and place them on pallets. After the posters are printed, they
will be shipped back to Boston and distributed to Convention attendees.
The poster will note that it was made from 100% recycled materials
from the first day of the Convention and will serve as a reminder
of the Democratic Party's commitment to the environment.
Environmentally Friendly Construction
The DNCC and Boston 2004 are working with Shawmut Design and
Construction to ensure that Convention-related construction is
as environmentally-friendly as possible. Shawmut, in conjunction
with CERC and greenGoat, a provider of resource conservation strategies
for construction companies, plans to divert all reusable construction
materials from the Convention to two Boston reuse organizations,
ReStore and Boston Materials Resource Center. These reuse organizations
will make the construction materials available to local non-profits
and low-income homeowners in the Boston area. Shawmut has estimated
that 500 sheets of masonite, 250 sheets of plywood, and 700 sheets
of homosote board will be donated to the reuse organizations.
Also, thousands of feet of telephone/data cabling will be recycled.
In addition, Shawmut has undertaken efforts to separate at the
jobsite and recycle 1,500 sheets of unpainted sheetrock.
Extensive Use of Online Services has Significantly Reduced
the Use of Paper
To prevent the waste of paper, the DNCC and Boston 2004, Inc.,
have adopted extensive online operations. Passkey, an online hotel
reservation system, has allowed convention-goers to make and change
reservations on the internet, involving some 109,000 hotel rooms
at 63 hotels and 3 universities. This system previously required
the use of more than 100,000 individual sheets of paper. The DNCC
also saves paper by using a sophisticated Intranet that allows
staff to communicate electronically rather than through paper-based
systems.
Encouraging Environmentally-Friendly Transportation
The DNCC and Boston 2004, Inc., have adopted a number of initiatives
to promote environmentally-friendly transportation during the
Convention. General Motors will provide the DNCC with hybrid pickup
trucks and buses, which increase fuel efficiency by combining
conventional internal combustion engines with an electric battery
and motor. The hybrid buses provide 60% greater fuel economy and
90% fewer emissions than regular transit buses. The pickups are
10-15% more fuel-efficient and provide ultra-clean generator power
by using the hybrid power train for electricity production. To
limit emissions during the Convention, the Convention's bus contractor
has held trainings for drivers on Massachusetts' anti-idling law.
Also, CERC and WalkBoston have adopted an initiative to encourage
delegates to walk from their hotels to the FleetCenter during
the Convention.
Environmentally Friendly Food Operations
The DNCC and Boston 2004 have partnered with The Greater Boston
Food Bank's Second Helping program to "rescue" unused food from
the Convention and Convention-related venues and provide it to
hunger-relief agencies in our community. As one example, Lundy's
of Boston, which is providing catering for the non-network lots
and the media workspace, has agreed to donate all of its unused
food at the end of the Convention week to The Greater Boston Food
Bank. By providing for the donation of unused food, the DNCC and
Boston 2004 will help avoid the environmental consequences and
emissions associated with the 26 million tons of wasted food that
burden American landfills each year. For a complete list of food
vendors available to work with The Greater Boston Food Bank's
food rescue program, visit www.boston04.com.
Two events have agreed to use food grown on Massachusetts farms
- the 15,000-person media party and the Massachusetts delegation
party. In addition to supporting state farmers and local economies,
choosing locally-grown food contributes to environmental sustainability
by avoiding the pollution associated with shipping and transporting
food over long distances. The average pound of food in the United
States travels 1,500 miles from farm to table, requiring high
levels of fossil fuel consumption and resulting in significant
greenhouse gas emissions. Food waste from the media reception
will be transported to a licensed composting facility that will
convert it into a valuable soil fertilizer.
Green Offices
The DNCC and Boston 2004, Inc., have adopted environmentally-friendly
procedures for their offices. Both offices recycle white paper
and use only recycled paper for their operations. The DNCC has
agreed to donate all of its empty bottles and cans to Work, Inc.,
a nationally recognized non-profit that is a pioneer in developing
community-based programs for individuals with disabilities. The
DNCC and Boston 2004, Inc., have committed to donating their computers
and unused office supplies to the Boston Public Schools after
the Convention. The DNCC also requires employees to turn off lights
and computers when leaving for the evening.
Environmentally-Friendly Balloons and Confetti
Recognizing that even the smallest decisions related to the Convention
can effect the environment, the DNCC and Boston 2004, Inc., will
use confetti made from recycled paper and biodegradable balloons
in their celebrations during the Convention.
Contacts - Democratic National Convention
Angus McQuilken, 617-342-2004
a_mcquilken@dems2004.org
or
Karen Grant, 617-247-2004
kgrant@boston04.com
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DNCC
Press Release - 7/8/04
Business
Wire - 7/9/04
