At least, if I've understood the way Democrats talk these days, that's the meaning of this from the Mayor of Denver (Mark Kilmer has more here):
Democrats say the point is to build habits that will endure long after the convention. To that end, the city has staged "greening workshops" attended by hundreds of caterers, restaurant owners and hotel managers. "It's the new patriotism," Mayor Hickenlooper says.
Either that, or they are just trying to avoid unpleasant questions about what they've done with the old patriotism. I understand it's biodegradable.