By Phil Keating

DENVER -- There is a big push to make the 2008 Democratic National Convention the greenest political convention in history. But as Kermit the Frog would say, it isn't easy being green.

It hasn't been easy even in the Mile High City, where environmentalism became cool long before many other cities even thought of separating glass from plastic.

Many of the tens of thousands of delegates and journalists here found this out the hard way. After landing at Denver's airport, heading to their downtown hotels and dealing with crowds and lines to check in, they finally arrived at their rooms -- only to discover that their eco-friendly, biodegradable key cards didn't work.

Over 70 hotel chains, from the Hyatt to the Sheraton, decided to ditch the little plastic cards that unlock doors just about everywhere for "sustainable cards" -- thin, balsam-like, wooden key cards that are emblazoned with the DNC Logo. They are one of many "green" ideas that DNC leaders encouraged retailers to adopt for the convention.

For a while, some hotels were forced to go back to plastic cards, but the word now is that the wooden key cards are finally working flawlessly. As a bonus, the delegates can keep the cards as souvenirs of their mile-high, DNC green experience.

Along with convention organizers, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter pushed for a super green convention week, and this has produced some notable efforts.

A wind turbine that was built near the town of Wray, Colo., is now spinning and producing 20 percent of that town's electricity.

In downtown Denver, or "LoDo" (Lower Downtown), there are multiple lots full of green mountain bikes, free to ride all over the city, saving gas and producing no greenhouse gases.

Coca-Cola, the official recycling provider, haps placed waste disposal bins all over the city in pairs: one for trash and one for recyclables. The Democratic National Committee even has a Director of Greening and Sustainability. The DNC's offices were painted with environmentally friendly paint, use motion-detectors to keep lights on only when a person is in the room, and are completely paperless.

Denver restaurants have been encouraged to cook and serve organic and fat-free foods, and to have food handlers wear biodegradable gloves. One restaurant, Mezcal, is offering a "greenarita" -- that's a margarita made with 100 percent organically grown tequila from Mexico, mixed with organic and freshly squeezed lime juice.

As a convention first, the DNCC is measuring its carbon footprint; data will be released later.

There is some skepticism among the locals, though, that all the environment-friendly efforts will be little more than a quick, green gimmick for this internationally televised Denver showcase.

Denver resident Marti Curtan said all of the "green" demonstrations he's walked past will probably disappear just as soon as the media pack up and leave for next week's Republican convention in St. Paul, Minn. He says people will go back to polluting just as much as before.

Perhaps, but this certainly has been an attention-getting showcase for a cleaner, and greener, future for planet Earth.