While both the Democrats and Republicans are touting their conventions as “greenest ever,” some not-so-green elements are making their way in as well — namely, nearly $2 million of coal advertising in and around each convention, sponsored by the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity.
ACCCE will drop that large wad of cash to put representatives on the streets to talk to convention attendees about “clean coal” and the role of coal in the energy portfolio, reports Politico. Next week, they’re also planning to hand out Denver maps that include coal propaganda and buying billboards and other advertisements around town.
They’ll also be in St. Paul for the Republican convention the following week. This is the first time the group will have a presence at the political conventions. Here’s the statement from ACCCE’s “Election Center” website:
In the coming weeks, the nation’s attention will be on the Democratic and Republican conventions. But while most people in Denver and Minneapolis-St. Paul will be talking about who will be running America starting in 2009, we’ll be there talking about what will be running America.
That’s right, regardless of who wins the election, we know that coal will still be running America, providing over half of the electricity we depend upon everyday.
At ACCCE, we’re committed to the idea that America can have the affordable, reliable electricity we need … with the clean environment that we want. That’s why we’ll be busy in Denver and the Twin Cities making sure the delegates recognize the importance of affordable energy for American families and businesses. We’ll also be talking about how using domestic energy resources like coal will help make us more energy independent in the days ahead. And we’ll be promoting the idea of how investments in technology will continue to make American coal a cleaner energy option for us and for our children; including technologies that will capture and store greenhouse gases.
Americans have a lot at stake in this election, and energy and environmental issues will be front and center in the debate. That’s why we’ll be there, and we hope you’ll join us in advocating in support of affordable, reliable, secure and increasingly clean energy options like coal.
And here’s the advertisement they have up on their website:
