Kansas delegates have invested in the greening of Greensburg to offset the carbon footprint created by attending the 2008 Democratic National Convention. In doing so, Kansas Democrats not only met the Democratic National Convention Committee’s “Green Delegate Challenge,” but also demonstrated a commitment to a secure energy future in Kansas, Kansas Democratic Party Chairman Larry Gates announced today.

“Our Kansas delegates wanted to recognize our state’s commitment to a green future by investing not only in the national renewable energy projects selected by the DNCC, but also in our own communities,” said Kansas Democratic Party Chair Larry Gates. “Greensburg is a national role model in the movement to create a sustainable future and our delegation is proud to offset its carbon footprint by contributing to Greensburg’s historic rebuilding efforts.”

As part of an ongoing effort to make the 2008 Democratic National Convention the most environmentally-sustainable Democratic Convention in history, the DNCC issued a "Green Delegate Challenge," challenging each state’s delegation to demonstrate the highest level of commitment to offsetting their carbon footprint by investing in renewable energy around the country. The Kansas delegation met the DNCC’s challenge nationally, and then made an additional investment in Greensburg GreenTown.

Greensburg GreenTown is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping businesses and residents make Greensburg, Kan. a model green community. Director Daniel Wallach and his board work with partners across Kansas and the United States to provide the community with resources, information and support as Greensburg is rebuilt after the May 2007 tornado that destroyed 95% of the town. Greensburg GreenTown has helped make sustainability and energy-efficiency the foundation for the incredible rebuilding effort.

Through the DNCC's partnership with Native Energy, Kansas delegates obtained their carbon offsets from a number of domestic community-based clean energy projects including the community-owned, utility-scale Wray School District Wind Turbine in Wray, Colo.; a Focus the Nation Wind Turbine on a family farm in Rosedell Township, Minn.; a fourth generation family dairy farm methane project in Rockwood, Pa.; and the Des Plaines, Ill., Landfill Gas-to-Energy Project.

More information about the DNCC’s partnership with Native Energy and the Green Delegate Challenge can be found by clicking here.