“Do as I say, Not as I Do”

Thanks to my buddy Jayar for bringing to my attention that the Global Warming Poster Boy, Al Gore, is setting national records for his excessive utility bills. This is truly the indication of a humanitarian looking to serve as a model for everyone concerned with Global Warming.

Does everyone remember the credits from An Inconvenient Truth? Yeah, the ones that gave tips on how to do “your part” in conserving energy. Well I guess Al missed that part (maybe he’s one of those guys who gets up and darts out of the theater immediately after a movie…you know who I’m talking about), because about a year ago, ABC released documentation of the utility bill from his home in Nashville, TN.

“Armed with Gore’s utility bills for the last two years, the Tennessee Center for Policy Research charged Monday that the gas and electric bills for the former vice president’s 20-room home and pool house devoured nearly 221,000 kilowatt-hours in 2006, more than 20 times the national average of 10,656 kilowatt-hours.

‘If this were any other person with $30,000-a-year in utility bills, I wouldn’t care,’ says the Center’s 27-year-old president, Drew Johnson. ‘But he tells other people how to live and he’s not following his own rules.’”

Now think about your own utility bills for a moment. How much do you usually spend per month? $100? MAYBE a little more depending on the time of the year? Well read on and see how Al’s monthly bills break down:

“The Center claims that Nashville Electric Services records show the Gores in 2006 averaged a monthly electricity bill of $1,359 for using 18,414 kilowatt-hours, and $1,461 per month for using 16,200 kilowatt-hours in 2005. During that time, Nashville Gas Company billed the family an average of $536 a month for the main house and $544 for the pool house in 2006, and $640 for the main house and $525 for the pool house in 2005. That averages out to be $29,268 in gas and electric bills for the Gores in 2006, $31,512 in 2005.”

My my, that’s a lot of energy to be spending on a pool house. How can a guy who pushes the emotional buttons of the American (and international) community be so negligent? If you’re sitting there thinking, “well he has a big house, he should be able to heat, cool and use it as he wants!” Well, I disagree. There are more than enough alternatives for him. Plus, if he’s SO driven to save energy, perhaps he’d consider a smaller home? Turning off some lights? Turning off his heated pool once in a while?

Surely he can do more. At least enough to keep the old Vice from needing this puppy in his back yard:

(it’s true…I’ve SEEN it)

I’ll reiterate once more that I compliment Gore on his efforts, but the reason I attack him is because I truly can’t bring myself to believe this is selfless. At some point, maybe even in the next few months, Gore will likely attempt to cash in on his recent free media, Oscar award and international presents presence. I’ll keep hoping that is not the case, but until then, pardon my hammering of good, old, sweaty Al.

~ by eastcoastboy on March 22, 2007.