NASHVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 28, 2007
Gore Defends Mansion's Power Consumption
Conservative Group Says Ex-Vice President Isn't "Walking The Walk" Of An Environmentalist
-
Photo
The Tennessee Center for Policy Research, which disagrees with Al Gore on global warming, says it got the billing information on the former vice president's home, above, from Nashville Electric. The utility denies that. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
-
Interactive
Global Warming
The greenhouse effect, a look at the Kyoto Protocol and a history of the Earth's climate.
-
Interactive
Alternative Energy
Learn about the types of renewable energy that are used in the U.S. and the regions of the country considered to be most suitable for each kind.
The group accuses Gore of using too much electricity to power his sprawling Nashville mansion.
A spokeswoman for Gore said the former vice president invests in enough renewable energy to make up for the home's power consumption. The spokeswoman said Gore purchases enough "green power" — renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and methane gas — to balance 100 percent of his electricity costs.
"Sometimes when people don't like the message, in this case that global warming is real, it's convenient to attack the messenger," Gore spokeswoman Kalee Kreider said.
Gore participates in a utility program that sells blocks of "green power" for an extra $4 a month. Gore purchases 108 such blocks every month, covering 16,200 kilowatt-hours and helping subsidize renewable energy sources.
Gore's documentary film "An Inconvenient Truth," which chronicled his campaign against global warming, won two Academy Awards on Sunday.
The following day, the Tennessee Center for Policy Research put out a news release saying Gore was not doing enough to reduce his own consumption of electricity. The group disputes whether global warming is a serious problem.
"We wanted to see if he was living by his own recommendations and walking the walk," said Drew Johnson, president of the think tank, which pushes for conservative economic issues.
Utility records show the Gore family paid an average monthly electric bill of about $1,200 last year for its 10,000-square-foot home.
The Gores used about 191,000 kilowatt hours in 2006, according to bills reviewed by The Associated Press spanning the period from Feb. 3, 2006, to Jan. 5. That is far more than the typical Nashville household, which uses about 15,600 kilowatt-hours per year.
His Nashville home is more than four times larger than the average new American home built last year — about 2,400 square feet, according to the National Association of Home Builders.
Last August alone, Gore burned through 22,619 kWh—guzzling more than twice the electricity in one month, according to the Tennessee Center For Policy Research's release.
That is more than an average American family uses in an entire year.
Johnson said it's unclear whether global warming is caused by humans, and he said the threat outlined in Gore's documentary is exaggerated.
The think tank said that Gore used nearly 221,000 kilowatt hours last year and that his average monthly electric bill was $1,359. Johnson said his group got its figures from Nashville Electric Service.
But electric company spokeswoman Laurie Parker said the utility never got a request from the policy center and never provided them with any information.
Parker said Gore has been purchasing the "green power" for $432 a month since November. The Gore home is also under renovation to add solar panels, Kreider said.
Gore also owns homes in Carthage, Tenn., and in the Washington area.
Gore has said he leads a "carbon-neutral lifestyle." To balance out other carbon emissions, the Gores invest money in projects to reduce energy consumption around the globe, Kreider said.
"For every ton of carbon they emit, he offsets that by doing investments in renewable energy sources," Kreider said.
Johnson said those efforts were unconvincing.
"In general, I applaud his efforts to reduce energy consumption, but if he is going to be a spokesman for global warming, he has to be willing to make the same sacrifices," Johnson said.
Johnson said Gore's home has gas lamps lining the driveway, a heated pool and an electric gate, all of which would be easy to do without.
Kreider confirmed that Gore's home has a heated pool and an electric gate, but noted that the gate is important for security and that the driveway has only one gas lamp.
Focusing on Gore's personal electricity consumption misses the point of "An Inconvenient Truth," Kreider said, which is that governments and the public can work together to reduce emissions.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Video and Galleries from Politics
-
Video
The Debate Over Healthcare
-
Video
U.S. Global Military Efforts
-
Video
Obama Wishes Happy 4th
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
...
- 9
- next
See all 443 Comments***If*** ***you***'***re*** ***really*** ***interested*** ***in*** ***the*** ***problem*** ***of*** ***global*** ***warming***, ***find*** ***out*** ***how*** ***much*** ***energy*** ***Cheney***'***s*** ***house*** ***is*** ***using***!
***While*** ***the*** ***Gore*** ***residence*** ***is*** ***heated*** ***with*** ***electricity*** ***offset*** ***by*** ***carbon*** ***credits***. ***Bush*** ***and*** ***Cheney*** ***both*** ***heat*** ***their*** ***private*** ***residence*** ***entirely*** ***with*** ***HOT*** ***AIR*** ***which*** ***is*** ***an*** ***abundant*** &***amp***; ***renewable*** (***seemingly*** ***endless***) ***natural*** ***by*** ***product*** ***of*** ***most*** ***of*** ***the*** ***right*** ***wingers*** ***in*** ***the*** ***GOP***.
"Gore has said he leads a "carbon-neutral lifestyle." To balance out other carbon emissions, the Gores invest money in projects to reduce energy consumption around the globe, Kreider said."
So let me make sure I understand this correctly:
Gore can pollute all he wants if he somewhere else does some cleaning up.
Is that how it works?
So if one of the mines on his family's property dumps toxic runoff in a creek, as long as he does some cleaning up someplace else in the world, he gets a free pass?
Well, he created the Internet, so I guess we should cut him some slack.
***Check*** ***out*** ***Mrsolar***.***com*** ***they*** ***have*** ***panels*** ***and*** ***inverters*** ***if*** ***you*** ***want*** ***to*** ***go*** ***solar***.
***I*** ***think*** ***the*** ***underlying*** ***message*** ***is*** ***if*** ***you***%***u2019re*** ***wealthy*** ***and*** ***can*** ***pay*** ***into*** ***alternative*** ***energy*** ***systems*** ***then*** ***use*** ***as*** ***much*** ***as*** ***you*** ***want***. ***If*** ***you***%***u2019re*** ***not*** ***wealthy*** - ***live*** ***in*** ***the*** ***dark*** ***and*** ***shiver***.
***Hollywood*** ***celebrities*** ***were*** ***given*** ***a*** ***pass*** ***by*** ***environmental*** ***groups*** ***to*** ***continue*** ***to*** ***consume*** ***fuels*** ***in*** ***their*** ***private*** ***jets***, ***4*** ***or*** ***5*** ***homes*** ***and*** ***expensive*** ***limousines*** ***because*** ***they*** ***are*** ***important*** ***to*** ***the*** ***cause***. ***It***%***u2019s*** ***everybody*** ***else*** ***who*** ***has*** ***to*** ***cut*** ***back***, ***button*** ***up*** ***and*** ***suffer***.
***AND***, ***no*** ***B***.***S***. ***about*** &***quot***;***offsets***&***quot***; ***either***, ***that***'***s*** ***just*** ***a*** ***rationalizing*** ***cop***-***out*** ***to*** ***make*** ***liberal*** ***polluters*** ***feel*** ***better***.
***And*** ***that***, ***is*** ***an*** ***inconvenient*** ***truth***.
....
***AND***, ***no*** ***BS*** ***about*** &***quot***;***offsets***&***quot***; ***either***, ***that***'***s*** ***just*** ***a*** (***ir***)***rationalizing*** ***cop***-***out*** ***to*** ***make*** ***liberal*** ***polluters*** ***feel*** ***better***.
***And*** ***that***, ***is*** ***an*** ***inconvenient*** ***truth***.
....
***AND***, ***no*** ***BS*** ***about*** &***quot***;***offsets***&***quot***; ***either***, ***that***'***s*** ***just*** ***a*** (***ir***)***rationalizing*** ***cop***-***out*** ***to*** ***make*** ***liberal*** ***polluters*** ***feel*** ***better***.
***And*** ***that***, ***is*** ***an*** ***inconvenient*** ***truth***.
....
While the Gore residence is heated using commercially generated electricity offset by carbon credits, Bush & Cheney both heat their private homes with the abundant and renewable (seemingly endless) HOT AIR which is a natural byproduct of most of the GOP membership.
***AND***, ***no*** ***BS*** ***about*** &***quot***;***offsets***&***quot***; ***either***, ***that***'***s*** ***just*** ***a*** (***ir***)***rationalizing*** ***cop***-***out*** ***to*** ***make*** ***liberal*** ***polluters*** ***feel*** ***better***.
***And*** ***that***, ***is*** ***an*** ***inconvenient*** ***truth***.
....
***As*** ***a*** ***news*** ***outlet*** - ***you*** ***long*** ***ago*** ***abandoned*** ***any*** ***pretense*** ***of*** ***fully*** ***informing*** ***your*** ***viewers***. ***Now*** ***you*** ***are*** ***promoting*** ***one*** ***side*** ***against*** ***the*** ***other*** - ***and*** ***that*** ***make*** ***you*** ***and*** ***advocate*** - ***and*** ***your*** ***published*** ***reports*** ***no*** ***more*** ***believable*** ***than*** ***that*** ***of*** ***the*** ***small*** ***Tennessee*** ***think*** ***tank*** ***you*** ***spend*** ***an*** ***article*** ***defaming***.
AND, noBSabout "offsets" either, that'sjusta (ir)rationalizingcop-outtomakeliberalpollutersfeelbetter.
Andthat, isaninconvenienttruth.
....
They can't dispute the science anymore so of course they've got to smear the messenger.
Mr. Gore has done more than anyone for the Environment and to see him attacked by this group is really annoying. Perhaps he uses more power because the lights are on all the time as his people are working day and night , trying to save the Planet from wankers like these.
Check out Mrsolar.com they have panels and inverters if you want to go solar.
I think the underlying message is if you%u2019re wealthy and can pay into alternative energy systems then use as much as you want. If you%u2019re not wealthy - live in the dark and shiver.
Hollywood celebrities were given a pass by environmental groups to continue to consume fuels in their private jets, 4 or 5 homes and expensive limousines because they are important to the cause. It%u2019s everybody else who has to cut back, button up and suffer.
What is most astonishing is CBS%u2019s willingness to turn a blind eye to the hypocrisy of a man, and a movement - that has no intention of living the life they promote - but would willingly impose it on others -against their will and self interest to further their careers.
AND, no BS about "offsets" either, that's just a (ir)rationalizing cop-out to make liberal polluters feel better.
And that, is an inconvenient truth.
....
the Tennessee Center for Character Assassination. Mr. Gore has done more than anyone to improve the Environment . Perhaps his power bill is so high because the lights are on 24/7 as his people work on ways to prevent the Planet from turning into a large, round French fry.
But it is humorous to see people like Jane Fonda and Al Gore tell us we don't even deserve to live and then use an order of magnitude more resources for their luxurious lifestyles.
I have no hope of ever living the opulent lifestyles the Gores enjoy, and I would appreciate it if the Gores didn't begrudge my very existence on the planet.
The ice caps are still melting. Are smears the only solution the Republicans have?
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
...
- 9
- next
See all 443 Comments