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EnviroWonk writer and Obama delegate Marsha Johnston is blogging from the DNC convention all week.
Every political convention provides its delegates with gifts to make them feel special about being given the privilege to validate the party’s choice for the presidency. Apparently the delegates of 2008 are particularly privileged, because we got two bags full of jun ... er ... stuff.
So much for minimalist consumption! I know, I know, everyone (including probably me) would have been disappointed to be told that, in the interest of reducing our environmental footprint, goodie bags had gone the way of the do-do bird. But it must be said that the corporations, unions and politicians who showered us with gifts did their best to ensure that the goodies were green, or at least green-themed. Here are some of the highlights:
The Best of the Bunch: A large water bottle to help us stay hydrated in the mile-high atmosphere and avoid buying bottled water. The Joint Juice we also got from two other groups was, frankly, awful.
The "Who Knew I Needed This?" Prize: A pedometer, not one, but two!
The "Huh?" Prize: A fake lump of coal from—who else—the clean coal industry. So this is going to make me change my mind about the wisdom of building coal plants? Not likely.
The Booby Prize: A blue plastic slinky with a green earth map printed on the outside.
The "Not Afraid to Flaunt His Ego" Prize: To Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for bestowing a bobble-head doll in his likeness upon all of us. No doubt he is gearing up for the California governor's race.
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