You know the world is changing when the Republican National Committee goes green. The Hill reports

While some prominent Republicans have continued to question the existence of global warming, the Republican National Committee is also planning to make its convention in the Twin Cities as energy-efficient as possible, according to RNC spokesman Chris Taylor.

Hmm. Didn’t someone once say:

Conservation may be a sign of personal virtue, but it is not a sufficient basis for a sound, comprehensive energy policy.

So much for practicing what they preach (or vice versa). The Minneapolis Mayor’s office actually said, “We have no doubt we can have one of the greenest conventions.”

That said, the Republicans “appear to be a little behind [the Democrats] in planning specific actions for a green convention” — surprise, surprise. The Dems in Denver have a lot already planned:

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Hertz, Avis Plan to Boost Hybrid Fleets – AP. The two rental car companies will add a total of 4400 Toyota Prius hybrids to their fleets. Enterprise Rent-A-Car already operates a fleet of more than 3,000 hybrid vehicles.

For Some, Global Warming Brings Benefits – AP. “In the end, you don’t find really large, really significant benefits. I mean, loss of biodiversity is an irreversible thing for the planet. [As is 20- to 80-foot sea level rise!] Saving a little money on heating in winter areas is a small economic gain for some people. How do you compare that?”

Can green computers help save the world? – The Independent. Factoid: “The average desktop PC wastes nearly half of its power, and the average server wastes one-third of its power. The Climate Savers Computing Initiative is setting a new 90% efficiency target for power supplies which, if achieved, will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 54m tonnes per year – and save more than $5.5bn in energy costs.”

City dwellers always want more green spaces, but in light of financial and environmental advantages the demand for green buildings has also taken off.

After the U.S. Green Building Council’s annual Greenbuild conference, one writer declared that “Green has gone corporate–and that’s exactly what everybody wanted.”

Green building has become a popular investment for the financial and real estate sectors, which spurred a study into the benefits of green building by Building Design + Construction (reg. req’d, free).

The study’s centerpiece is a 10-point action plan. The path to their conclusions is an investigative survey of architecturel and construction firms, building owners, and retailers that have dealt with green building and its consumers. The study also considers end-results, such as higher workplace productivity attributable to different lighting or less electrical hums.

It also reviews financial incentives and examines prospects in hotels, restaurants, homes and government buildings. It’s a resourceful starting point for those considering building green, and a persuasive one for those who aren’t.

Energy efficiency is indeed the first fuel.