Does Al Gore use twenty times more energy than the average U.S. household? According to The Tennessee Center for Policy Research—an independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan research organization—the answer is yes. They issued a press release late Monday (See below).
I don't know if Tennessee Policy is legit or not, if it's really just some redneck front organization, or whether these facts and figures are true or not. I will state that I am pulling for Al Gore as the dark horse in the presidential race. I do believe he was screwed by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2000. I was an Al Gore delegate to the Washington state convention in the 1980s. I don't have an axe to grind with him. Quite the contrary. However, if what the Tennessee Center for Policy Research says is true, it gives one pause. There is no queston that Al Gore's mansion is big.
Is Vice-President Gore asking us to cinch our belts without pulling his own in a notch or two? I don't know. I've never been comfortable with the "don't do as I do, do as I say" school of politics. I do know that this estimate does not even include the many miles Prince Albert spends jetting around the globe on jets, or speeding around town in limos. Can some of you Gore supporters tell me how this really works?
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According to the Tennessee Center for Policy Research, the former Vice-President may not be shooting from ther hip:
"Gore’s mansion, [20-room, eight-bathroom] 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).
"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.
“ 'As the spokesman of choice for the global warming movement, Al Gore has to be willing to walk to walk, not just talk the talk, when it comes to home energy use,' said Tennessee Center for Policy Research President Drew Johnson. "
In total, Gore paid nearly $30,000 in combined electricity and natural gas bills for his Nashville estate in 2006. [1]
[1] For Further Information, Contact: Nicole Williams, (615) 383-6431, itor@tennesseepolicy.org .
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3 comments:
Al should choose Ed Begley, Jr. as his running mate, which would effectively offset his carbon/energy footprint. I'm voting the Gore/Begley ticket in '08...
Of course this is a hit piece.
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 — a concept the right-wing fails to understand. Gore’s office explains:
"What Mr. Gore has asked is that every family calculate their carbon footprint and try to reduce it as much as possible. Once they have done so, he then advocates that they purchase offsets, as the Gore’s do, to bring their footprint down to zero."
For my part, though, Jeff, I have a very hard time buying offsets. And I don't mean purchasing them.
I have friends who assiduously buy them--guiltily--every time they fly. I believe they help. However, I still can't buy that Al, Tipper and his son need four buildings, a pool, and to spend more money on electricity than most families earn in a year.
I am really looking at this politically. . .and it's a hard sell, believe me, if I am not buying it. And if I'm not buying it, you can bet it's not going to fly in the red states (and even much of the blue).
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