Nevada Delegates Get a Head Start on Green Delegate Challenge

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It looks like the 43 delegates from Nevada will arrive at the convention ahead of most other delegations in the race to win the "unique wearable green item"

Nevada is the third state in the nation to pledge to send a “green” delegation to the national convention this August in Denver.

Elliott Small, a delegate to the national convention who owns Potential Difference, Inc. in Las Vegas, purchased carbon offsets for all 43 of the delegates, alternates, pages and standing committee members going to the national convention. Potential Difference, Inc. is an advanced electric car company whose prototype, based on a brand new Acura TL, is on display in the Seattle, WA area.

The Democratic National Committee has challenged each state’s delegation to purchase carbon offsets to help decrease the amount of carbon dioxide that would otherwise be put in our atmosphere from the travel it will take for delegates to get to Denver.

“As an owner of a company that promotes green energy, I am very proud that Nevada is the third state in the nation to pledge to send a green delegation to the Denver convention,” Small said. “We hope to recruit additional sponsors to ensure the trips to Denver made by our staff, volunteers and guests also will be carbon neutral.”

Potential Difference purchased the carbon offsets from Native Energy, which is working with the national Democratic convention on its Green Delegates Challenge [www.demconvention.com/green-delegates-challenge/]. While Nevada is the third state in the nation to purchase offsets for its delegates and alternates, the Democratic National Committee is challenging each state to purchase as many carbon offsets as possible.

Native Energy works with wind farms and methane projects around the country to invest in clean energy. - Nevada State Democratic Party

California and New Hampshire have also committed to fully participate in the Green Challenge.

As part of an ongoing effort to make the 2008 Democratic National Convention the most environmentally-sustainable Democratic Convention in history, House Speaker and Permanent Convention Chair Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Convention organizers announced the "Green Delegate Challenge," offering special rewards for the delegation or delegations that demonstrate the highest level of commitment to offsetting their carbon footprint from attending the Convention.

As part of the challenge, delegations with the highest percentage of members offsetting their carbon will be recognized in their seating section on the floor of the Pepsi Center during the Convention. Each delegate, alternate and super delegate from that state will also receive a limited edition "green" prize. Any delegate who offsets their travel will receive a unique wearable "green item" for Convention week, available only to these delegates, and be recognized individually on DemConvention.com.