Wow- This is Impressive

The first ever zero carbon footprint campaign... I'm surprised T-Mac didn't think of this first...

Release from the Grant campaign:

Leading by Example: Miles Grant’s Green Campaign
First VA General Assembly Campaign Ever to Offset Carbon Footprint

ARLINGTON, VA (May 21, 2009) – The Miles Grant for Delegate campaign announced today its purchase of five metric tons of carbon emission offsets from TerraPass, one of the nation’s leading carbon offset firms. Miles Grant is believed to be the first major party candidate for Virginia House of Delegates ever to offset the campaign’s carbon footprint.

“We’re trying to set a standard, showing other campaigns that reducing your environmental impact is both affordable and easy,” said Miles Grant. “Avoid the impacts you can, offset what you can’t. That’s the model we’ve tried to follow every step of the way – every campaign trip, every campaign purchase.”

TerraPass’ emissions reduction projects include a gas-to-energy project at a landfill in Worcester County, Maryland and a landfill gas capture project in Dorchester County, Maryland. TerraPass offers offset projects closer to Arlington than any other major carbon offset firm.

“It’s critical for all Americans to take responsibility for their carbon footprints,” said Mira Karp, a carbon reduction specialist at TerraPass. “Miles is already working to minimize some of the typical campaign’s biggest carbon culprits like driving and paper usage, and we’re proud to help him offset his remaining impact with high-quality, independently-verified carbon credits.”

The Grant campaign’s green efforts include:

• Candidate & volunteers carpool to canvass locations; walk from door-to-door
• Campaign promotional materials printed on recycled paper and mailed in recycled envelopes
• Campaign buttons printed on 100% recycled paper with 30% recycled steel backings
• Campaign stickers printed on 100% recycled paper
• Internal campaign materials printed on recycled paper; paper re-used when possible; recycled at end of use
• EnergyStar-certified campaign office printer
• Near-zero campaign waste, including 100% recycling of paper, bottles and cardboard
• Planned recycling of yard sign stands at end of campaign
• Minimal use of bottled water

In addition, Miles Grant is the only candidate in the 47^th district Democratic primary race to sign a public pledge to reject contributions and gifts from Dominion Virginia Power and its employees.

Miles Grant is a former board chair of Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment. His hundreds of hours of environmental volunteer work helped earn him the 2007 James B. Hunter Arlington Community Hero Award. Grant works for the National Wildlife Federation and blogs on environmental issues at TheGreenMiles.com.

Learn more about Miles Grant for Delegate at MilesGrant2009.com.

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Comments

[anon]

We're so trendy. Vote for us!

[Nose]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKdyEPGiM7o

That's the McAuliffe footprint.

It would be about a 5000 metric ton purchase.... per week.

[Larry Sabato's Hairpiece]

That cost the campaign a whopping $65.60. $40 more if they got the recycled wood frame to put the certificate in. Which 3 volunteers had to forego their pizza this week?

They should have been sports and bought five more tons so they could reduce some more pollution rather than simply making it a break even event.

[Larry Sabato's Hairpiece]

T-Mac couldn't be bothered to break a $1K bill for doing this. That campaign does not make expenditures that small.

[Pete in Arlington]

Way to go Miles! I hope Virginia's other electeds and candidates will follow your example.

[Rob Smith, III]

Excellent work!

[almondwine]

This is exactly the type of forward thinking green progressivism that Richmond needs from Arlington, and this is exactly why Miles Grant is the right person to bring Arlington values to Richmond.

It's not about the cost, it's about being proactive about putting your money where your mouth is when you're running on climate action. It would seem from this that Miles Grant actually believes in carbon-neutral business, which clearly separates him from the pack.

[Brian]

The campaign has purchased borderline-fraudulent carbon offsets. Big whoop.

[anon]

@Brian, But we're trendy, Democrats love that shit. What happened to Change and Hope? Oh ya, those were trendy too....

[Colin]

Might be the first in VA but I think Dodd did this during the Presidential.

[I.Publius]

Yawn. And this gimmick gets the bedwetters all a-flutter. What a shock.

[Brian W. Schoeneman]

Wait a waste of money. That $60 bucks could have paid for 60 bumperstickers.

[kelley in virginia]

what kind of statement does he send by rejecting campaign contributions from Dom. Power? that he doesn't like big business? or that he doesn't like electricity?

personally, i like electricity. alot.

[big snooze]

All of the candidates except Howze aren't accepting money from dominion.