June 18, 2008

Al Gore proves the futility of his policy recommendations (updated)

Thomas Lifson
The morality play on offer from greenies and their media buddies holds that "we can't drill our way" to cheaper oil prices, but "conservation" and "new technologies" for "alternative energy" are the answer.

Thus, I am thankful to Al Gore for proving that even in a high profile demonstration project these "solutions" won't work. The Tennessee Center for Policy Research reports that Gore's home in Nashville has increased its energy usage by 10% in the past year. This is in the face of proudly-announced (and expensive) energy-saving steps. Stop the ACLU cites the Soros-Funded Think Progress  site for information:

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.

Now that Gore has proven his measures are ineffective, it is time to drill offshore, ANWR, mine coal and oil-bearing rock, and build nuclear power plants on an expedited basis.

Hat tip: Larwyn

Update: Clarice Feldman writes that Sweetness & Light has discovered that AP, whose words must never be quoted, "reported" in October last year that Gore had cut his home's energy use 11%.

Comments

The elite mantra is "do as I say, not as I do". Gore thinks it's his right to consume away while telling the unwashed masses that they should be sacrificing to save the planet or what not.

Similar to this, Obama said recently: "We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK. That's not leadership. That's not going to happen."

Aside from his dictatorial "That's not going to happen", this was said by a guy who lives in a $2 million dollar mansion with a $10 thousand dollar wine cellar, gets carted around in a fleet of SUVs and private jets (on our dime by the way) and between he and his wife are millionaires who complain about the cost of private schools and dance lessons for their children.

Apparently, the American dream only applies to those who attended Harvard.

I still say we should slap Al Gore and his buddies with an Excess Energy Consumption Tax. At current rates, Al Gore could care less about spending over a $1,000 a month on electricity (he spends a huge amount on natural gas as well). For some reason, the average American can not afford to spend a $1000 a month on their electric bill and if it ever happened they would immediately find some way to lower the cost through a combination of useage reduction or equipment replacement. Al Gore's income makes that imperitive unneccessary. The only way you will ever get the likes of Al Gore to reduce his energy consumption off the public electric grid is to charge a progressively higher fee for electric use. http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2007/03/gore_and_excess_energy_comsump.html While Thomas may think this amusing, I don't and I'm serious. I'm not reducing my living standard because the likes of Al Gore can't practice what he preaches. What Al Gore is really saying is I must reduce my energy consumption so he can increase his. This is totally unacceptable.

It is not my purpose to defend Sir Albert but with my electrical provider Jackson EMC, who also have Green Power options a customer can choose to sign up for, offers a stepped program where you can designate 100% of your power useage to be "Green" or in blocks of Kilowatt hours Kwh based on your usual consumption. I participate with a block of 150 Kwh's and the going rate per Kwh is $0.13 while the standard rate currently is $0.10 per Kwh. So my question is did Prince Albert's useage actually go up or did his monthly bill go up because of the increased costs associated with signing up for the Green Power option?

And in reality isn't most of the TVA provided electricity fairly "green" already?

Here is a link to Jackson EMC Green Power website.

http://www.jacksonemc.com/Green-Power.greenpower.0.html

Why would anyone think that liberals would follow any of the demands they put on to others. Maybe, the extra 10% increase in electric usage comes from Al's drugged out son who had to move back home to mommy. Funny, the more liberals want to buy more time for "new technologies and alternatives" that fact is it ain't coming, you clowns have had 38 years to figure it out and it can't be done and the alternative that they spout either they doen't want in their backyard or are so inefficient they can't power a toaster and hairdryer at once. Hope, wait and change isn't a strategy. The solutions are, drill and build nuke plants, Jane Fonda be damed!

I would like to thank Mr. Gore for proving this, beyond the shadow of any doubt! It is time to Drill Here - Drill NOW, and Pay LESS!

Some reports say China is bringing at least one coal-fired generator on line per week. They have negotiated with Cuba to build oil platforms between the coast of Cuba and the southern tip of Florida. Mexico is looking to buy the technology to drill in the deeper parts of the Gulf of Mexico. Where is the uproar from environmentalists? Why do we not hear about organized protests? Because the real issue is not about the environment. It is about the socialist/Marxists knocking down the USA a notch and gaining a stronger foothold of power.

We should be thankful for Al Gore's "green" moves with respect to his mansion. If he had not taken those actions, who knows, maybe his energy use would have gone up by 40%, 50%, or anyone guess for a private jet riding globetrotter like Al. I have one qualm about his use of compact flourescents if they are made mandatory. In the winter time I prefer the heat radiating qualities of incandescent lights since they help save on my fuel oil use by using electricity. I mean, how is the heat of the incandescent bulb's inefficient light producing process getting wasted when it helps to heat up my house?

The elite mantra is "do as I say, not as I do". Gore thinks it's his right to consume away while telling the unwashed masses that they should be sacrificing to save the planet or what not.

Similar to this, Obama said recently: "We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK. That's not leadership. That's not going to happen."

Aside from his dictatorial "That's not going to happen", this was said by a guy who lives in a $2 million dollar mansion with a $10 thousand dollar wine cellar, gets carted around in a fleet of SUVs and private jets (on our dime by the way) and between he and his wife are millionaires who complain about the cost of private schools and dance lessons for their children.

Apparently, the American dream only applies to those who attended Harvard.

What ever caused his energy usage to go up? Was it more air conditioning?

Pardon the double posts previously. Anyway.....

Al Gore has to be the premier standard bearer for hypocrisy on the left. He railed against big tobacco when he and his family made a fortune in the tobacco business, he railed against big oil when he and his family made a fortune in the oil business through Occidental and he rails against the causes for unproven Global Warming while observing no means to prevent it.

Nowhere is liberal hypocrisy more evident than in the global warming debate. If Al Gore and friends can't do without their large homes, private jets, and oil stocks then they can't expect anyone else to. Entrepreneurs and inventors will solve our ecological problems, not politicians.

Gore the Bore has a great big smile on his face... ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK

Hypocrisy Pays!

Yep, I bit on one of those solar hot water things, proved to be a total waste of money. If it hadn't have been paid for by the government I would have never bought it.

Al Gore has proved that efficiency doesn't do diddly squat, which most thinking people knew already. If it were good, they would be for sale on every street corner. The free market works.

@ dscott
"I still say we should slap Al Gore and his buddies..."

You were better off just ending that sentence with 'buddies'.

@Michael Coffel

In response to your question, please read the following quote pulled from the Tennessee Center for Policy Review (the group that released both of Gore's energy bills) website:

"Since taking steps to make his home more environmentally-friendly last June, Gore devours an average of 17,768 kWh per month -1,638 kWh more energy per month than before the renovations - at a cost of $16,533. By comparison, the average American household consumes 11,040 kWh in an entire year, according to the Energy Information Administration."

So, according to that source, Gore is using some 1600kWh per month more than he was in the first report, it's not just a cost increase but a usage increase.

There is no disguising the fact that Algore doesn't believe in his cause enough to alter his own behaviour. He's increased personal use of electricity, he's continued to use the least energy-efficient means of transportation outside of taking a rocket into space namely private jet, and he's also increased the number of miles he's traveled significantly over the past three years.

When he commits to a program of personal energy use reduction, then, and only then, will I consider him qualified to lecture the rest of us on the subject. For example, why doesn't he make his speeches and appearances via the internet and skip the travel? Why doesn't he either shut down sections of his current home, or move to a smaller, more energy-efficient residence? Why doesn't he eschew the use of all limousines and motorcades? Why doesn't he consider eating less than the combined population of some third-world countries?

The truth is that Algore was born to wealth, privilege, luxury and excess and it is clearly so ingrained in him that he is unable to let go of that lifestyle. I don't begrudge any rich person their lifestyle, I just won't be lectured about conservation by someone who doesn't conserve.

@ Michael Coffel

Gore's kWH went up by 10%, not his bill. So the actual AMOUNT OF ELECTRICITY used increased, regardless of its source.

When does the investigation into fraud concerning the Goreacle begin? Anyone believes a WORD this fool says has some serious issues.

Great point, I've added an article to my blog pointing here. There's one bit of missing information, though: his electricity is up 10% but what of his total energy usage? How many cubic feet of natural gas has he used over the same period of time? Whether the Gore Mansion's total energy usage has increased or not is not evident from the data at hand, so we can't quite dismiss the conservation efforts yet. For instance, if his electricity is up by 10% but his natural gas is down by 50% that's significant. If it's flat or increased your point is proved. I've written to the Tennessee Center asking for the data, and I'll post an update on my blog (url linked to my name) if I get the data.

John Kerry (who served in Vietnam) should thank his lucky stars for Al Gore. If not for Gore, Kerry would be the biggest buffoon to have ever served in the US Senate.

The founder of the weather channel is considering suing Gore.
I hope he does.
http://www.pronetworks.org/forum/about101631.html

I think you're underestimating Ted Kennedy. He's a pretty big buffoon as well.

And if Obama stays in the Senate, he could end up being the biggest buffoon.

I nominate Gore for horse's butt of the 21st century.

The real problem is that America & the world continue to be inundated with messages about the terrible effects of Global Warming/Climate Change, while many of the "theories" continue to be dis-proven. Yet the media fails to mention this. The media, bought & paid for, continues to feed the people news that we must all sacrifice & enter into a "new world order" where equality reigns supreme. Yet that equality will never include the 'elite" who will get a pass because of their supposed contributions to society.
We are being led down a path, and too many have failed to realize the path is paved with lies, distortions, and deliberate efforts to force all of us to do as we are told by an elite few & their media & academic flunkie buddies who also seek the special privilege's they would get as leaders of the "new socialist world order."

Looks like you missed a lot of info in this blog. Why is that? You purposely leave out the fact that Al Gore's total energy consumption deceased by 11% as well as his natural gas consumption was reduced by 93% after all his improvements. If you are going to present the facts, please present them ALL, not just the ones that fit your agenda!

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