Al Gore Single Handedly Causes Global Warming

1. Al Gore clearly is adding to the same global warming of which he warns. His "carbon footprint" is huge. He has a 20 room mansion when he could live in a smaller house. He has multiple vehicles when 1 would do. He travels by private jet when he could travel commercial. Personally, I don't begrudge him his lifestyle one bit. I live in a house larger than I "need," I drive a Lincoln Navigator that gets 12 mpg and I have another SUV, I fly all over the place for business, etc. So, I am not against his wealth or life of luxury. But, it is inescapable that Al Gore's carbon footprint dwarfs that of the average American, let alone the average person in the world.

2. Now, you argue that he is buying carbon credits, and that makes it OK. The idea of carbon credits is that for those who exceed their "green" carbon footprint, they can purchase in the open market carbon credits - that is some type of credit from someone who either is under their carbon footprint and therefore has a surplus that they can sell, or someone who promises to plant some trees for you that in essence counteracts your excess carbon footprint. Once again, as far as I care, if Al Gore, Bill Gates and other rich people want to assuage some type of personal guilt that they have because their excess consumption, power to them. I don't care. I've already proven that I have a too large carbon footprint ... I just don't have the personal guilt about it that would make me waste money trying to feel better or impress people.

3. The problem with this, and why I am guessing most people see this as hypocritical, is that Gore would have the rest of the world start to cut back on all sorts of activities to "save the world," all the while failing to do so himself. And, for most people, buying one's way to being green isn't the type of leadership you would want to see from the point man on this issue. I liken it to the abuse of Catholic Indulgences. If you are not aware of what this is, this was a way in which one could basically buy your salvation. Pay the church enough back in the 1500s and they would absolve you of your sins and grant salvation ... on behalf of God ... maybe for giving enough money to help build St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Like carbon credits, people said, hey, that's BS ... just because he is some rich merchant, why the hell does he get a free pass on his sins.

So, it is absolutely indisputable that Gore has a too large carbon footprint. The fact that he has to purchase carbon credits proves this point ... if he wasn't exceeding his footprint, there would be no need to purchase the credits. The difference is you give him a free pass because he can afford to buy off his excess consumption. I, on the other hand, really don't care, but expect more than that from the person posturing as a leading figure in the area. When they do otherwise I see it as being hypocritical and ignore them (although I couldn't really ignore the buffoon more than I already do all politicians of all stripes).

NCAces