This is not convenient for him
Al Gore’s Personal Energy Use Is His Own “Inconvenient Truth” – TennesseePolicy.org:
Last night, Al Gore’s global-warming documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, collected an Oscar for best documentary feature, but the Tennessee Center for Policy Research has found that Gore deserves a gold statue for hypocrisy.
Gore’s mansion, located in the posh Belle Meade area of Nashville, consumes more electricity every month than the average American household uses in an entire year, according to the Nashville Electric Service (NES).
Last August alone, Gore burned through 22,619 kWh—guzzling more than twice the electricity in one month than an average American family uses in an entire year. As a result of his energy consumption, Gore’s average monthly electric bill topped $1,359.
Since the release of An Inconvenient Truth, Gore’s energy consumption has increased from an average of 16,200 kWh per month in 2005, to 18,400 kWh per month in 2006.
Gore’s extravagant energy use does not stop at his electric bill. Natural gas bills for Gore’s mansion and guest house averaged $1,080 per month last year.
“As the spokesman of choice for the global warming movement, Al Gore has to be willing to walk the walk, not just talk the talk, when it comes to home energy use,” said Tennessee Center for Policy Research President Drew Johnson.
However, here’s the answer coming from the Gore camp:
1) Gore’s family has taken numerous steps to reduce the carbon footprint of their private residence, including signing up for 100 percent green power through Green Power Switch, installing solar panels, and using compact fluorescent bulbs and other energy saving technology.
2) Gore has had a consistent position of purchasing carbon offsets to offset the family’s carbon footprint
There is also this amusing story about the possibility of Al Gore losing his Oscar. Wishful thinking.
You will only get this Oscar from my cold dead hands…
I find it telling that the majority of comments between post #14 and post #35 were actually discussing the ideas of global warming and carbon offsets and carbon foot prints instead of argueing that people are anus’es, or stooges of the right wing or imbiciles. It’s also telling that post #14 and post #35 were both by the same leftist that can’t seem to ever actually debate anything, only slam or make disparaging remarks about others.
It isn’t illegal in all states for people to obtain the electric bills of others. Who knows, maybe Gore threw the bill out, since it’s for last year and it was found in the garbage, which makes it public property.
Also, Gore’s spokesperson did make this statement in response to the critisism, there-by acknowledgeing that the story was true.
The point is, and someone above me made it, it’s not how much carbon off setting you do, it’s how much actual carbon reduction you do in your real life that counts. If Gore is trying, good for him.
And the ***Green*** Oscars…..what a joke….they offered Priusis or Limo’s to the attendee’s…..how many did you see arrive in the Hybrid cars????
We all know that Liberals serve no real purpose so they strive on exagerating things like global warming so they can ride in and save everyone from themselves. I live in the midwest where at one time glaciers shaped the landscape of half the state. Those glaciers disapeared long before man and his automobile. What caused them to disapear? Twenty-five years ago the same “scientists” of today were preaching global cooling and that a new up-coming ice age was going to cause mankind to starve to death. What happened to the ice age? Just two years ago George Bush and his global warming was said to have caused the most devastating huricane season seen in years. Where were the huricanes this past season? The answer is the earths axis has changed since the beginning of time causing warming and cooling trends that continue to affect the earth’s climate. I don’t dispute that we may be in a slight warming cycle but I sure get sick of liberals using this for political gain.
“I’ll simplify things for you. Imagine offsets are just the direct addition of trees to the earth. If Gore emits x amount of carbon in his day to day life, then the direct addition of tress he buys can directly cancel out the carbon he emits. Hence carbon neutral.”
The seeds for the trees were already in existence, he didn’t invent them like he did the internet, so how does buying them offset anything?
The Creeps [Nixonian] who carefully crafted the story briefly achieved what they and their network work at — the State Policy Network. Nowadays, they would rather mask themselves as libertarians. 20-30 years ago, americanism was appropriate.
Their manipulation of the press on this non-issue has already become an item being reported on by national media. Not many of the bloggers who were taken in, though. It didn’t require the national clout of Rove, btw.
I live in the vicinity of 12-15,000 well-paid physical scientists who work in several non-university institutions. They certainly consider themselves the best in the world. They do have matching salaries. Over the past several years of for-real scientific discussion the number who (a) sincerely believe there is NO global warming as climatic trend – (b) and therefore support the predictable myriad of right wing scientific illiterates who cluster like blowflies on neocon dung — has devolved to about 2. That’s right. 2.
Both of whom hold a dozen times more qualification and offer attention to fact, scientific method and responsibility – than the smarmy crowd that wanders about the landscape of ideology spouting about liberal plots, whatever.
Though, come to think of it, since the last, most recent international convocation of climatologists – they seem to have returned to serious research in their own specialties and left the political stage to those who have only Cheney and Exxon on their side. Even Bush is gone. How sad.
>> Something doesn’t smell right about this one.
I agree. This story has a certain swift-boaty stink about it. … including the timing.
The original story misses the main question — what are the Gore’s doing with all that energy? Obviously, it not just forgetting to turn a few bulbs off.
(When regular citizens start using a whole lot more electricity, they get a call from the narco squad! But I doubt that’s it. )
Did the Gore’s open up a large office facility in their home, with lots of staff? Maybe a small tv production facility? (I imagine he does media all the time, now.)
I expect rich people, with big homes, to use a lot more energy than the average person … but not 20 times more. The fact that the author of the article didn’t even bother to find out why, makes this article stink.
.
#36, joshua,
Once again you attempt to appear witty. Once again, you missed. The point of this article is Gore can talk the talk, but can’t walk the walk?, Al Gore is a hypocrite because he uses too much energy.
…
Who knows, maybe Gore threw the bill out, since it’s for last year and it was found in the garbage, which makes it public property.
Would you care to point out a utility that has the amount of year to date usage? My question is still unanswered, How did this muckraking site get a hold of his utility bills?
Also, Gore’s spokesperson did make this statement in response to the criticism, there-by acknowledging that the story was true.
Show me the link. It sure the hell isn’t in the referenced link to the story. And it isn’t even claimed to be Al Gore or his family. Who made the comment? If you care to note the posts above, my comment in #14 is DIRECTLY pointed to #13. Obviously you have your selective reading glasses on again.
The point is, and someone above me made it, it’s not how much carbon off setting you do, …
ooopps, while a worthwhile point, wrong topic.
WAIT !!! I got it, so because I said from the beginning that this is bull, the right wing nuts have to hijack the topic onto a tangent about no such thing as “global warming”. No, like you joshua, no arguments or facts to present on Gore’s energy usage, just slam the guy. Right, you heard it on Comedian Rush Limbaugh’s show so it must be gospel.
In short, when the right wing nuts can’t make a point, they invent, fabricate, lie, simply dismiss, or slander, and swear it is all true. Tell a lie often enough and there has to be some idiot out there that will believe it. And that idiot will probably be another right wing nut.
Back for a moment to carbon offsets…
Here’s a site with a pretty good explanation of carbon offsets, especially with respect to their varying quality. Different types of offsets are being rated according to perceived lasting value, and the planting of trees is specifically excluded from “Gold Standard” inclusion. If you can imagine cutting down a forest to make room for the planting of “carbon offsets,” that rule seems to make sense, and I wouldn’t put it past an enterprising capitalist to do just that.
At the risk of sounding skeptical, without external regulation beyond simple consumer ratings, carbon offsets looks like the sort of industry that is ripe for abuse, if not outright corruption. I look for Haliburton to quickly become the industry leader 😉
“How cheaply can I ease my guilty conscience?” could easily become more important than saving the planet.
#40, Greg,
The only way Gore would be using that much electrical energy would be if he had a hydroponic pot nursery in the basement, spare bedroom, and attic.
So, maybe there might be some truth to the amount of energy usage after all.
/sarcasim
The liberal idea of science is a conclusion looking for facts and if you can not find facts, fiction will suffice. Question, has Gore denied the story?
If we transcend this issue, not Gore but global warming, it is an attempt to stifle patriotism. In order to establish a world government the united States industrial society must be dismantled and exported.
Products manufactured in the united States are viewed as inferior to the foreign counterparts.
Case in point, we see this in the auto industry with Ford, GM and Chrysler losing market share to Toyota, Honda and Hyundai.
One benefit to Algore is that he is a chemical free laxative. (I know I have to go every time I see him.)
Or if he carelessly had bad insulation during a cold winter, or an open window.
Considering Gore wants to create mandatory changes in lifestyle, I don’t think he should get away with the carbon offset excuse.
#46 >>Considering Gore wants to create mandatory changes in lifestyle, I don’t think he should get away with the carbon offset excuse.
What mandatory lifestyle change does he want? (Serious question) I haven’t read his book or seen his movie.
I’m just curious if Gore’s mandated changes are better or worse than the effects of global climate change. A 4 meter rise in the ocean will mandate a few lifestyle changes too!
David Kerman
You just killed the entire reason for the anti global warming movement:
If carbon offsets can balance our carbon footprint, then we should all go around planting trees and keep living our lives the way we are living it today. So the anti global warming movement is basically moot. It is a debate about how much offset you can buy, or create. Just keep driving your suv and plant a dozen trees every year and you are fine and the planet is fine.
I used to work for NES. It is against NES policy to release an indivdual’s electric bill or consumption to the public without permission. How do we know the alleged Gore consumption is true?
Al’s mansion is typical of a Belle Meade, 1950’s mansion. If it is in original condition as far as insulation and such, it probably has no insulation in the walls and very little in the attic. In the 1950’s the government and the TVA Al’s father helped create sold electricity for less than one cent per KWH. If we consider a typical Nashville house (not a mansion) at 2000 square feet, back in the 1950’s the ordinary Joe would have a (1950) $39/month electric bill based on Al’s alleged consumption
This article has swiftboaty stink all over it. Here’s the source:
The Tennessee Center for Policy Research is an independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan research organization committed to achieving a freer, more prosperous Tennessee through free market policy solutions.
“nonpartisan” ? — what are the chances of THAT CLAIM not being a big fat hairy lie?
I used to do some journalism and when someone lies about who they are, you immediately stop returning their calls.
Real journalists. check sated “facts” in press releases, because press releases often lie. (I’ve written many of those, too! Press releases, that it, not lies! 😉 )
First, of course, you look for internal inconsistencies, just because that’s the lazy thing to do. I spotted this one without even thinking very hard:
In 2006, Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh—more than 20 times the national average.
As a result of his energy consumption, Gore’s average monthly electric bill topped $1,359.
1,349 / 20 = $67
Is your average utility bill $67?
I live in a pretty small home and $67 is lower than than my LOWEST month when I run no heat or AC.
(I googled it: the average American’s monthly bill is about $158 http://fypower.org/news/?p=363 )
That’s enough BS for any real journalist would toss this press release in the trash (unless you’re Al Gore and then you recycle it).
But Fox? Drudge? Right Wing talk shows? They all ran with this story as FACT without out warming up a single brain cell for real journalism.
Comment by David — 2/27/2007 @ 11:07 am:
“1. Global warming “as science” can and is constantly debated and will change over years. ”
Hey, FOOL, did you SEE “An Inconvenient Truth”? It is the WORK of scientists and NOT Al Gore. Do you think he just made the facts up?
“2. Stop arguing from anecdotes. Take an ice core sample and look at melting over many centuries and compare what’s happened for the last 3 thousand years with what’s happening now.”
Hey, guess what, FOOL? There was a series of articles in The New Yorker last year in which they discussed the cores they have been sampling in the permafrost for YEARS and they can SEE the changes clearly. The permafrost is actually melting underground, heaving up entire villages, and dumping tons of methane into the atmosphere.
“3. The VAST VAST majority of climatologists agree the earth (on avg) is warming fast. The DEBATE is over why and what’s causing it.”
Hey, FOOL, there is NO debate over what’s causing it. I just watched Democracy Now yesterday and two leading climatologists said that it is very clear that the crisis is MANMADE but the Bush administration deliberately HID the facts from the public.
You need to get out more.
P.S. AL GORE’S OWN UTILITY COMPANY SAID THEY NEVER RELEASED HIS BILLS. FURTHERMORE, HE USES NON-CARBON-BASED ENERGY SOURCES FOR WHICH HE PAYS A PREMIUM; I.E., SOLAR AND WIND. THIS WHOLE EXERCISE IS NOTHING MORE THAN THE RIGHT WING TRYING TO KILL GORE’S CAMPAIGN BEFORE IT EVEN STARTS. THE IDEA OF HIM RUNNING AGAIN SCARES THE SHIT OUT OF THEM.
You folks make me Laugh…I love you all…. Let me dry my eyes…
The oldest most accurate records of weather history, are gotten from the Chineese…And even those dont go back more then a FEW thousand years…
Even with those, there have been changes in weather, reflected in the Chineese notes, and in records of the times in Europe, and england, that were and ARE reconcilable.. The Explosion of crackatoua(sp) which caused a Catistophic 10 years of Cold weather and SNOW 10 feet deep.
Even changes in Near weather times…
When I was younger, we had snow 3 feet deep EVERY year…What was the cause? This was the 60’s and 70’s, and there were alot of nuclear testing. Now I dont see as much snow…
When Mt. Saint Helens Blew up, the weather changed a good amount, around the world…
what comes to mind, are 2 facts…
1. we dont have World wide weather Stat’s for the Last 10,000 years to correlate WHAT MAY BE HAPPENING.
2. If we can find NO fault… We Blame Mankind..
Whether global warming is true or not isn’t really the issue. The main problem we will have to face in the next 5 to 10 years is the global peak in the world’s oil production. We need to take action to prepare for this crisis right away. Energy efficiency and mitigation is the solution next to biofuels etc.
When looking at the problem from this angle, people like Al Gore actually do harm by claiming that “carbon offsets” is of any good.
You see, it doesn’t matter how many carbon offsets you get, the net sum of all the oil you consume will still be gone forever, burnt up and wasted.
Get yourself a hybrid car, fly less, consume less but do it for the sake of the world’s precious natural resources and because you want to save them, not only for yourself but for generations to come. We can all live well by using up less. Just my 2 cents.