Like Matt, I think trying to run a carbon neutral convention is a dumb idea. The more Democrats present their environmentalism as a call for personal austerity or individual rectitude, the less likely they are to succeed. But that's not what a cap and trade proposal does. It's a market-based attempt to accurately price carbon in products, so that the economic incentives naturally point in a direction that doesn't end up scorching the planet. It's not about banning meat or keeping people from driving. It's just about eliminating the silent subsidy that makes meat, gas, and other elements of a carbon-intensive lifestyle look much cheaper than they really are. But the key here is that cap and trade won't ask people to "do" anything differently. They'll just have to do what they always do: Decide what they need and then figure out the most cost-effective way to get there. In other words, shop. What they're not being asked to do is personally figure out carbon counts and chart a low-energy lifestyle. Democrats should stop implying otherwise.
