Obama's allegedly green inaugural footprint: The Swamp

For the inauguration of a president who promised to be a friend of the environment, what would you expect but carbon-neutral inaugural balls, hybrid Lexuses, organic menus and valet bicycle parking?

Political correctness will rule the day.

Two Green Inaugural Balls are planned, including one featuring a green carpet made from--what else?--a recycled rug. Official invitations to the Jan. 20 inauguration are being printed on recycled paper. The homeless will be handed furs.
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The Environmental Protection Agency has provided a liaison to the Presidential Inaugural Committee to advise on "best practices"--a first, Douglass said.

"We're obviously not going to have paper towels in the bathroom," said Shelley Cohen, helping organize the event featuring Gore, who shared a Nobel Peace Prize for efforts in preventing climate change. "We're going to have air dryers."

"Making the inaugural balls as low-energy and low-carbon as possible won't stop global warming, but it is a very important symbol about the direction of the incoming administration," said Dan Weiss, director of climate strategy for the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank.

To reduce the inauguration's carbon footprint, attendees are being encouraged to carpool or ride public transit, even in evening gowns and tuxedos. If they must drive, they are being encouraged to drive a hybrid vehicle or buy carbon offsets.
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Jimmy Carter made an attempt to be eco-friendly during his inauguration: The White House reviewing stand was supposed to be solar-heated. It did not work out as planned, said Albert Nason, archivist at the Jimmy Carter Library. Rosalynn Carter wrote: "Though it is supposedly a solar booth, something has happened to the sun this day and the booth's heater doesn't work."

"People have forgotten what a difference presidential leadership can make," Weiss said.

Not everyone's buying it, though.

"We've had the Christmas season, and it appears we're entering the silly season with efforts by many to look as if they're saving the environment when they're really not doing anything but engaging in feel-good politics," said Brian Darling of the conservative Heritage Foundation. "In reality, this whole inaugural is going to have a massive carbon footprint."

Darling expects to see far more gas-guzzling SUVs than bikes as people head to inaugural balls.

"If they really want to be environmental, maybe they'll take measures to invite fewer people to Washington," he said, noting the huge carbon footprint that millions of people will leave.

Note that 70 bands from across the country will make fossil-fueled trips to this inauguration

They will be one of 70 bands from across the country and the only one from Nebraska.

Note that 112 Los Angeles sheriff's deputies will make fossil-fueled trips to this inauguration

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday authorized 112 sheriff's deputies to go to Washington, D.C., to aid in security for the presidential inauguration.