Al gore- What the fuck?

[Groovebox]

Expecting a worldwide famous millionaire to consume less energy than the middle-manager at the box factory is just stupid.

Why?

We expect politicians to act a certain way, it's one of the downsides to a public life. Al Gore is required to live the lifestyle that he preaches about. What about that republican that was looking for some cock in an airport bathroom? Why should he be treated any differently than any other cock-craving airport customer?

He's treated differently and is scrutinized because of what he's been preaching since he's been in office. He's anti-gay marriage, etc... Now he's nothing but a phony, just like Al Gore.

[archibaldcrane]

Expecting a worldwide famous millionaire to consume less energy than the middle-manager at the box factory is just stupid.

Why?

Compare his consumption to other people of his stature/economic background/occupation, something other than just "the national average". Why not just hold him to the worldwide standard then? Oh, because that fucks every american.

I expect my politicians and public figures to consume vastly more electricity than the average American, regardless of their position on consumption. He fits my expectations nicely.

[Jer]

Expecting a worldwide famous millionaire to consume less energy than the middle-manager at the box factory is just stupid.

Why?

Exactly. There are no 'brackets' for how much you can waste depending on your income. Electricity does the same thing for everybody regardless of how much you make or what you do. Since he's all about conservation, yea, it'd be nice if it was below the average. Hell, even close to the average would be good, and Nashville average is hardly indicative of middle-managers at the box factory.

[Jer]

Expecting a worldwide famous millionaire to consume less energy than the middle-manager at the box factory is just stupid.

Why?

Compare his consumption to other people of his stature/economic background/occupation, something other than just "the national average". Why not just hold him to the worldwide standard then? Oh, because that fucks every american.

I expect my politicians and public figures to consume vastly more electricity than the average American, regardless of their position on consumption. He fits my expectations nicely.

I can honestly say that I am blown away and I'm done.

[archibaldcrane]

Expecting a worldwide famous millionaire to consume less energy than the middle-manager at the box factory is just stupid.

Why?

Exactly. There are no 'brackets' for how much you can waste depending on your income.

Use =! Waste. Prove that his 15X the national average consumption is inefficient useage, and we're onto something. Raw numbers here aren't as useful as how the electricity is used. Powering your television and a lamp for the 5 hours between when you get home from your 9-5 at the box factory and when you go to sleep has an intrinsic and undeniable "electricity useage" advantage to someone in Al Gore's position.

[Groovebox]

Expecting a worldwide famous millionaire to consume less energy than the middle-manager at the box factory is just stupid.

Why?

Compare his consumption to other people of his stature/economic background/occupation, something other than just "the national average". Why not just hold him to the worldwide standard then? Oh, because that fucks every american.

You are forgetting that he is CHOOSING to live a lifestlye like that. No one is making him live in his fucking mansions with his shitload of energy consumption.

There have been plenty of enviromental activists that have chosen to live a simple life. People who chose to give up everything they had, all the luxuries, to make some kind of statement about how they want to live on this planet. Until Al Gore decides to practice what he preaches (not just bits and peices), he can shove his medal up his ass.

[archibaldcrane]

Expecting a worldwide famous millionaire to consume less energy than the middle-manager at the box factory is just stupid.

Why?

Compare his consumption to other people of his stature/economic background/occupation, something other than just "the national average". Why not just hold him to the worldwide standard then? Oh, because that fucks every american.

You are forgetting that he is CHOOSING to live a lifestlye like that. No one is making him live in his fucking mansions with his shitload of energy consumption.

There have been plenty of enviromental activists that have chosen to live a simple life. People who chose to give up everything they had, all the luxuries, to make some kind of statement about how they want to live on this planet. Until Al Gore decides to practice what he preaches (not just bits and peices), he can shove his medal up his ass.

What type of plant powers the electricity that Al Gore purchases for his home? Serious and important question for the purposes of this argument.

[archibaldcrane]

Lol, I finally decided to do a little research. In the first article I find this gem:

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.

His electricity consumption isn't contributing to global warming, therefore he in fact practices what he preaches, and both Groovebox and Jer can fuck right off. Conservation for the sake of conservation isn't the important issue here - reducing what you do to contribute to total carbon emissions is. Gore claims to lead a "carbon-neutral" lifestyle (through green energy purchases like this article entails and other means) - point to evidence that that isn't true, and you can start calling him a hypocrite. Until then, this is just smoke and mirrors, amounting to absolutely nothing of value.

[Groovebox]

Lol, I finally decided to do a little research. In the first article I find this gem:

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.

His electricity consumption isn't contributing to global warming, therefore he in fact practices what he preaches, and both Groovebox and Jer can fuck right off.

You should read this part:

"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.

A spokeswoman for Gore said he purchases enough "green power" — renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and methane gas — to balance 100% of his electricity costs.

Which means that he still consumes a shitload of "non-green power" energy, which STILL has an effect on the environment. So he uses both forms equally.

[Groovebox]

Conservation for the sake of conservation isn't the important issue here - reducing what you do to contribute to total carbon emissions is. Gore claims to lead a "carbon-neutral" lifestyle (through green energy purchases like this article entails and other means) - point to evidence that that isn't true, and you can start calling him a hypocrite. Until then, this is just smoke and mirrors, amounting to absolutely nothing of value.

What are you not following here?

191,000 > 15,000

Simple as that. The Gores, per their own decision, "destroy" the environment more than the average household.

Having Al Gore purchase SOME green-power does not repair the damage done.

[Charla]

A spokeswoman for Gore said he purchases enough "green power" — renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and methane gas — to balance 100% of his electricity costs.

Which means that he still consumes a shitload of "non-green power" energy, which STILL has an effect on the environment. So he uses both forms equally.

That's not how I read it. The phrase "balances 100% of his electricity costs" could also mean that he buys the same amount of green power as he consumes, regardless of whether the power grid rerouted the elctrons themselves or just the money. In other words, paying more for green power probably doesn't mean that the power company makes sure your house only gets power that came from the green plants, it could also mean you can take the credit for someone else who did get the power from that green plant but didn't pay more.

And even if nobody "forced" him to use that power, someone probably will try to take a shot at him if he turns off the security system, which is close enough.

Look at it this way: if using more electricity than you means that I can afford to pay enough to make sure it's clean electricity, then that electricity really did do more for me. Environmentally speaking of course.

edit:

What are you not following here?

191,000 > 15,000

Simple as that. The Gores, per their own decision, "destroy" the environment more than the average household.

Having Al Gore purchase SOME green-power does not repair the damage done.

Careful there, captain math. You're still only using an American average. If you use the world average, the inequality you want is more like:
191,000 > .01
and oh wait...
15,000 > .01

Well gosh darnit, I guess I'm destroying the environment more than the average African kid too. Guess I'd better either move to a commune in Oregon or say screw it and buy an SUV.

[archibaldcrane]

You should read this part:

"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.

A spokeswoman for Gore said he purchases enough "green power" — renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and methane gas — to balance 100% of his electricity costs.

Which means that he still consumes a shitload of "non-green power" energy, which STILL has an effect on the environment. So he uses both forms equally.

He purchases 16,200 kilowatt hours of green power energy per month. 16,200 X 12 months = 194,400 kilowatt hours of green power a year, which is his yearly energy consumption. What part of his electricity consumption isn't from "renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and methane gas" - or are you reading these figures completely different than I am?

[archibaldcrane]

What are you not following here?

191,000 > 15,000

Simple as that. The Gores, per their own decision, "destroy" the environment more than the average household.

You are operating under the very flawed assumption that all electricity consumption = environmental degredation. Stop it.

[Groovebox]

So, when Al Gore flies to various conferences and events in his private jet, it's ok as long as he's purchasing some green energy and donating money to environmental causes?

Mind you, this man wants to be the spokesperson for environmentalism.

[archibaldcrane]

So, when Al Gore flies to various conferences and events in his private jet, it's ok as long as he's purchasing some green energy and donating money to environmental causes?

Mind you, this man wants to be the spokesperson for environmentalism.

If the sum-total of his actions makes him "carbon-neutral", then he's not affecting global warming, and yes it's ok. Do you know what carbon-neutral means?

[Groovebox]

If the sum-total of his actions makes him "carbon-neutral", then he's not affecting global warming, and yes it's ok. Do you know what carbon-neutral means?

Yes, I do understand what it means. However, it's pretty fucking obvious that Al Gore's carbon footprint is about 10x the size of the average american. I don't give a fuck if he balances it out with his millions and millions of dollars, the average american cannot aford to do that.

[archibaldcrane]

If the sum-total of his actions makes him "carbon-neutral", then he's not affecting global warming, and yes it's ok. Do you know what carbon-neutral means?

Yes, I do understand what it means. However, it's pretty fucking obvious that Al Gore's carbon footprint is about 10x the size of the average american. I don't give a fuck if he balances it out with his millions and millions of dollars, the average american cannot aford to do that.

His carbon-footprint is non-existent if he removes as much carbon as he contributes. I guess you don't know what carbon neutral means. Every american will contribute to carbon emissions in some way. Limiting this through conservation and/or compensating for it via carbon-credits-esque things are how, on a personal level, each person can do their part to help stop global warming. If someone produces alot of carbon and eliminates a lot of carbon, that is perfectly valid for me.

[Neosutra]

What are you not following here?

191,000 > 15,000

Simple as that. The Gores, per their own decision, "destroy" the environment more than the average household.

You are operating under the very flawed assumption that all electricity consumption = environmental degredation. Stop it.

^

[Charla]

So, when Al Gore flies to various conferences and events in his private jet, it's ok as long as he's purchasing some green energy and donating money to environmental causes?

Mind you, this man wants to be the spokesperson for environmentalism.

blah blah blah a few aircraft engine manufacturers, most notably Thielert, have begun offering piston engines which run on jet fuel. The technology promises to be a way to provide light, powerful, and environmentally-friendly engines for the general aviation market while simplifying airport logistics and phasing out leaded avgas.

Note the favorable environmental comparison between jet fuel and avgas, which by the way is a slightly different type of gasoline.

Translation: jet fuel is cleaner than gas. Therefore, flying in a "private jet" is cleaner than... oh, I don't know... driving.

edit: it's not my fault I'm slow here. Quoting wikipedia takes time!

[Aerin]

So, when Al Gore flies to various conferences and events in his private jet, it's ok as long as he's purchasing some green energy and donating money to environmental causes?

Mind you, this man wants to be the spokesperson for environmentalism.

This goes back to the whole "he should have like 1/8 the consumption of the average american. He should also make his own clothes, ride a bicycle everywhere, and light his house with the sunshine pouring from his asshole." deal

He has to get places somehow, private jet or no private jet.

EDIT: oh jet fuel is cleaner, haha awesome. What are you guys going to complain about now? He eats too much meat which leads to killing more cows, which equals breeding more cows that produce more methane?