Obama Mia!

Mary Sullivan is one of 22 Vermont delegates to the Democratic National Convention, and one of nine state delegates originally pledged to former Democratic presidential contender Howard Dean. She was a 10-year member of the Vermont House of Representatives and chair of its natural resources committee. In the 1980s, she wrote for The Washington Post. Currently, she is communications coordinator at the Burlington Electric Department, part of the Alliance for Climate Action.

The environment might not be getting the speech time, or media attention, that the economy, foreign policy, and health care are getting at the Democratic National Convention. But as a delegate taking it all in, I can assure you that it is an ever-present topic both inside the convention and around Boston at the many rallies, forums, and workshops happening throughout convention week.

This convention has been touted as the most environmentally friendly one ever by both DNC insiders and environmental groups, and there are indications and reminders of that everywhere. This morning at breakfast, delegates received lovely keepsake posters, made from the recycled wastepaper collected at the convention Monday evening. More important, total carbon emissions generated by the convention, including the transportation emissions from delegate travel to Boston and back, are being offset by the DNC's use of wind energy. Also, the building materials used to construct the stage and other structures will all be reused after the convention.

Many hotels are practicing green standards, including the Back Bay Hilton, where I'm staying. These hotels are doing their part by not changing towels and sheets every day. Still, I wish they would take bigger steps toward sustainability, especially by turning down the arctic blasts from conference-room air conditioners. It seems that keeping men in long-sleeved shirts and suit jackets comfortable is -- unfortunately -- still the norm.

But seriously, environmental groups have noticed the DNC's commitment to the environment. "It is great to see the Democratic National Convention planners showcasing environmental solutions by incorporating simple measures that can protect the Earth and provide a quality convention experience," said Bruce Hamilton, national conservation director for the Sierra Club.

Tuesday's convention schedule was filled with environmental events -- so many that you sometimes had to pick and choose between overlapping activities. Many delegates joined the League of Conservation Voters at a rally for the environment. And what a great rally it was! People heard terrific speaker after terrific speaker as a light wind blew off Boston Harbor.

Most inspiring was Barack Obama, 2004 Democratic candidate to the U.S. Senate from Illinois. While TV watchers know he made a powerful keynote address on Tuesday evening, those of us at the rally were treated to an equally powerful speech by Obama that focused solely on the environment. He spoke touchingly of his six-year-old daughter's asthma, and about being lucky enough to be in a position to provide for her medical needs. He reminded us that environmental degradation has a disproportionately negative impact on low-income and minority people. Keep your eye on Obama. His first introduction to Democrats at the national level was greeted with enthusiasm that cannot be described. Despite having a name that doesn't exactly trip off the tongue, he's being talked about here as a future presidential candidate.

Also speaking at the rally was Rep. John Dingell of Michigan, a longtime champion of the environment who received a rousing ovation for all his work. He said that he was taught that while this is our world, we are borrowing it from future generations. "There was a day," he sadly added, "when issues of environment and conservation were bipartisan." This bipartisanship is absent today, he reminded us, because President Bush and many House and Senate Republicans have taken every possible opportunity to put the interest of energy companies above the interest of the American people. Dingell especially focused on Bush's deplorable record on the Endangered Species Act.

Deb Callahan, president of the League of Conservation Voters, would have brought the crowd to its feet had we not already been standing by starting the chant, "Four More Months! Four More Months!" As Callahan quipped of the Bush administration, "Some things were never meant to be recycled!"

Callahan told us that the LCV's Environmental Victory Project will have volunteers knocking on hundreds of thousands of doors in swing states to help get the word out about the current administration's appalling record, while encouraging people to go to the polls in November to ensure a Kerry-Edwards victory. LCV provided Kerry with the earliest endorsement ever. Callahan reminded the crowd of Kerry's stellar environmental voting record during his long tenure in the U.S. Senate.

Following this rally, many delegates and other interested folks joined the "Wind and Waves" cruise of Boston Harbor, with its focus on renewable energy. The boat cruised around the harbor and headed down to Hull Island, which has a 660-kilowatt wind turbine that juts above the harbor. I thought it looked quite elegant as the big white blades rotated against a bright blue sky. The turbine, erected a few years ago, powers Boston Light. In addition to the lighthouse, it also runs the street and traffic lights of Hull and is the first commercial-grade wind turbine in eastern Massachusetts. Lots of wind proponents chatted, exchanged business cards, and shared notes about the obstacles encountered in moving away from fossil fuels and the difficulties in siting wind turbines.

The next few days of the DNC promise many more events with an environmental focus and flavor. Many delegates here are feeling a rising hope that a Kerry-Edwards ticket will indeed be elected, and that there may still be time to turn the tide of destruction that has battered the environment over the last four years.

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This piece reflects the opinion of its author and should not be taken to constitute an official endorsement by Grist Magazine, its staff, its board members, their massage therapists, or their personal trainers.