We carpooled to the the Obama rally in Denver yesterday. With 100,000 people pressing around you, a clear view of Obama was nearly impossible. Instead I listened to the words, and looked at the people around me. They were of every color and age. Toddlers wobbled around in Obama onesies and kids fell asleep on their parent’s shoulders. After Obama arrived like a rock star in two tour buses, I listened to the long list of places he had been and saw his carbon footprint as a giant crater. I listened to his promises to fix the economy and the environment by creating “green collar jobs”,  and I wondered what the campaign itself was doing to be green?

The short answer is not much. I have found no mention of an effort to make Obama’s campaign carbon neutral, like Hillary Clinton’s promise to offset emissions from offices and travel from her campaign. Rock stars like the Rolling Stones and Pink Flyod conduct carbon neutral tours. Even the Bush occupied white house is a little greener these days.  Why isn’t Obama? With all the money and effort in the campaign, it would be nice to see some go to the environment and something tangible among all the promises.  Don’t worry, he still has my vote, and no doubt his speech writers will print out his acceptance speech on 100% post consumer office paper.