[UPDATE: Man. Feckin' time zones. Everybody beat me to it.]
...to remain carbon neutral with power consumption like this:
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).Wow. That's a lot of carbon to be neutralized.In his documentary, the former Vice President calls on Americans to conserve energy by reducing electricity consumption at home.
The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. In 2006, Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh — more than 20 times the national average.
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.
But of course, The Goracle is merely the target of a "right-wing smear":
This evening, Bloomberg Radio will fail even the most basic level of journalistic ethics when they take part in the right-wing smear of Al Gore.Not sure how he came up with that. They appear to be a legitimate 501(c)(3) non-profit in the eyes of the IRS. Does Tennessee keep a searchable list of "legitimate" non-profit organizations? Not as far as I can tell. I guess that proves they don't exist. Posted by Ken S at February 27, 2007 06:12 AM | TrackBack (0) |The "Tennessee Center For Policy Research" is reporting they will be interviewed by Bloomberg Radio tonight.
Only one problem. The Tennesse Tax Department does not consider the Tennessee Center to be a 'legitimate' organization.
Not sure how he came up with that.
Ken, that's just truthiness, doncha know?
Therefore, it's true, 'cuz a leftie said so.
Posted by: The_Real_JeffS at February 27, 2007 06:51 AMI dunno...the whole thing just pisses me off. So you're telling me, don't drive your because it pollutes. But then you fly in a private jet. And you're telling me, dry your clothes on an old-fashioned outdoor clothesline (no matter that the allergens that get mashed into my sheets would damn near kill me) because it reduces my 'carbon footprint' but you get to have an army of laundresses caring for your stuff. And you tell me to sweat it out in the summer, not use power, and then you use in a single month twice what the average American family does in a year.
Something is very rotten in the state of Denmark.
Look, I'm all for trying to conserve. But if you're going to insist that people give up the little comforts of life in order to do it, you damn well better be willing to do it yourself.
Hypocrisy makes me want to smash things.
Posted by: ricki at February 27, 2007 07:24 AMRicki,
That's the problem I really have with all of this. I have no doubt that people like Al Gore are motivated by genuine concern (and, let's face it, not a little bit of ego to boot), however misguided it may be. I start getting angry when it becomes clear that their attitudes are that it is up to other people to make sacrifices where they are somehow an exception, sometimes to a disgustingly indulgent degree. Like you said, I'm all for conservation. I make a habit of it in my every day life, but screw off to the celebrity lecture circuit and their glaring and condescending hypocrisy.
It's the condescending smugness that really irritates me. ESPECIALLY when combined with massive hypocrisy.
Which reminds me. Those big-ass limos they always show up at the Oscars in? I've often wondered what kind of mileage they get.
Posted by: Ken S, Fifth String on the Banjo of Life at February 27, 2007 08:41 AMWhich also reminds me of this excerpt from State of Fear:
Some [of the celebrities] talked about how much they loved their hybrid cars, which they had bought for their staff to drive.
[...]
The plane landed in Van Nuys. A dozen black SUV limousines, the latest fashion, were lined up on the runway waiting for the passengers. All the celebrities hugged, kissed air, and departed. Evans was the last to leave. He didn't rate a car and driver. He climbed into his little Prius hybrid, which he'd parked there the day before, and drove through the gates and onto the freeway.
"In other words, the only harmful emissions tonight are from the presenters." It was a joke until Algore ruined it by making it into a FACT, dammit. I can't stay ahead of the idiot curve.
Posted by: Nightfly at February 27, 2007 09:30 AMI wonder if he can counter the carbon footprint by planting ents? Hoommmmmmm...
Posted by: Alan K. Henderson. movie critic from the 13th tribe of Kobol at February 27, 2007 09:28 PM