Al Gore's new house

[guardian]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnE-XTCLC0A

Not a replacement house, just ANOTHER house. But I'm sure he uses CFLs to reduce his carbon footprint.

[Liberal_in_LA]

1. OMG. He sure doesn't 'walk the talk'. That other guy, actor from St. elsewhere,

lives what he talks, he rides bikes and lives in a normal house. Gore needs to address his lifestyle next time he's preaching to us little people.

[GreenPartyVoter]

42. I love watching "Living with Ed." He's just a riot and I learn a ton.

[Arctic Dave]

2. Funny, I didn't see Al Gore in any of the pictures.

Plus, it is an existing home. Not like he had it built. Could be renovating it for energy efficiency.

[madokie]

7. I think it's bullshit too

anyone can post anything and call it anything they want

[Go2Peace]

9. It's bullshit posted by a teabagger. What fools people are.

[Go2Peace]

10. well, I have to admit it might not be a lie

I did a search hoping to disprove it and found an article on snopes.com . I expected a thorough debunking of these kinds of "lies", but woa, turns out that Gore did have a huge, inefficient home that he had not upgraded to energy efficiency in 2006. Well, by 2006 he had been lecturing on a sustainable future for a while.

[Go2Peace]

11. Wow, it's true!

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/apr/28/home/la-hm-hotprop-gore-20100428

OMFG, I have supported Gore forever. I understand being rich has it's privilges, but with that kind of money why would he not build a demo home that is completely energy efficient? Or maybe just simply buy a small, but nice home with a pool on a good sized property (he is probably after privacy).

This just can't be explained away. My opinion of him just tanked. This looks really bad....

I guess I was indeed a "fool".

[kristopher]

13. Let's see. He bought a house a couple of weeks ago and you are crushed?

What "just can't be explained away", the fact that you are trying to trash Gore because he bought a house a couple of weeks ago instead of building "a demo"? What kind of idiotic shit is that?

From Snopes on Gore's energy usage:
"Kalee Kreider, a spokesperson for the Gores, pointed out that both Al and Tipper Gore work out of their home and she argued that "the bottom line is that every family has a different carbon footprint. And what Vice President Gore has asked is for families to calculate that footprint and take steps to reduce and offset it."

A carbon footprint is a calculation of the CO2 fossil fuel emissions each person is responsible for, either directly because of his or her transportation and energy consumption or indirectly because of the manufacture and eventual breakdown of products he or she uses.

The vice president has done that, Kreider argues, and the family tries to offset that carbon footprint by purchasing their power through the local Green Power Switch program — electricity generated through renewable resources such as solar, wind, and methane gas, which create less waste and pollution. "In addition, they are in the midst of installing solar panels on their home, which will enable them to use less power," Kreider added. "They also use compact fluorescent bulbs and other energy efficiency measures and then they purchase offsets for their carbon emissions to bring their carbon footprint down to zero."

Also, by the end of 2007 the Gores completed renovations that made their home much more energy-efficient:
Al Gore, who was criticized for high electric bills at his Tennessee mansion, has completed a host of improvements to make the home more energy efficient, and a building-industry group has praised the house as one of the nation's most environmentally friendly.

The former vice president has installed solar panels, a rainwater-collection system and geothermal heating. He also replaced all incandescent lights with compact fluorescent or light-emitting diode bulbs.

"Short of tearing it down and staring anew, I don't know how it could have been rated any higher," said Kim Shinn of the U.S. Green Building Council, which gave the house its second-highest rating for sustainable design.

Gore's improvements cut the home's summer electrical consumption by 11 percent compared with a year ago, according to utility records reviewed by The Associated Press. Most Nashville homes used 20 percent to 30 percent more electricity during the same period because of a record heat wave. "

http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/gorehome.asp

[guardian]

15. I'm sure Al just needed the extra space

Because his 20 room hovel in Tennessee just wasn't big enough
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/GlobalWarming/story?id=2906888

And his 100' houseboat didn't provide the serenity he needed
http://www.greendaily.com/2008/09/16/al-gore-draws-flack-for-his-100ft-houseboat/

So he needed this to help clear his mind
http://beverlyhills.pulseonrealestate.com/11624/al-gore-buys-8-9-million-ocean-view-villa-%E2%80%93-real-estate-channel/

But at least he has a way to travel between his houses and meetings
http://gorunamok.com/obama-vp-al-gore-travels-via-private-jet-charter/


This is what I call clear leadership from someone who really believes we are destroying the planet with CO2. :sarcasm: Of course it could be he knows AGW is a scam. Or maybe reducing the carbon foot print is just for the "little people" So how many newspapers does one have to recycle to counter Al Gore's lifestyle?

[tinrobot]

21. But it's A-OK for the CEO of Exxon to own a large house.

[guardian]

22. When the CEO of Exxon starts preaching to me

* that I need to do with less and
* live in a smaller house and
*have a smaller carbon foot print then

I'll be the first to complain about the size and number of houses he owns.

[tinrobot]

26. He doesn't advocate smaller houses or doing with less.

Gore advocates renewable energy, efficiency, and getting off of oil. Not the same thing.

[wtmusic]

36. Not addressing consumption while advocating efficiency is like

going on a lard diet. You get nowhere.

[kestrel91316]

33. How many homes does the average Repuke CEO of a Fortune 500 company own?

And how energy-efficient are THEY?

Just curious.

Al did a phenomenal energy upgrade on that mansion in TN he owns. In case you and your little friends have forgotten.

[asjr]

3. Al can live where he wants to live. It's

his money.

[politicasista]

39. Thank you n/t

[sharp_stick]

4. This seems to annoy you for some reason?

I'm amazed, really I can't understand why someone like you would be annoyed by this.

[Liberal_in_LA]

5. how does owning several big mansions square with all Al's eco talk?

[JuniperLea]

6. To be fair... he rehabs his homes...

And adds a lot of "green" value.

The last home that was raked over the coals also served as an office, so the figures being bandied about were erroneously skewed to make it appear a two-member family was wasting a lot of energy.

[Go2Peace]

12. In 2006 he had not remodled his large home

he did not do it until he was pressured. I found a reference to that on snopes. Wow, I am blown away.

I find it amazing that he cannot seem to connect the dots of his lifestyle to the problems he lectures about almost every day.

[madokie]

14. I'm sure happy to read that you're blown away

cause then maybe you will stop with this bullshit. Do a little research other than snoops and see what you come up with concerning the Gores. This is all happy horseshit with one thing in mind and that is to smear the Gore name. No where in that video is there any reference to that being his newly purchased house other than the person who posted the video saying it is. This is bullshit. I guess bullshitters only know how to bullshit, huh. :hi:

[Go2Peace]

30. Duh, did you even read my posts?? No you obviously did not

Or you would see that I just went through the EXACT same process as you. If you read two posts above I DEFENDED Gore. Then I went out and found out that the claim is TRUE. Not just on snopes. Did you look at the link to the Los Angelos Times? I verifies the purchase and has a picture of the house.

So get your facts straight before you accuse people of smearing. I have supported Gore all of his career. But this is no different than if MLK was a Racist in his home. Gore acts as a spokesman, but then he is living like his own actions are above his own rhetoric.

How can I defend Gore next time a Right wing friend says Gore is a hippocrat? I won't be able to. That makes me sad.

We aren't right wingers who ignore truth. As a liberal I went out and researched it. Unfortunately it turned out to be true. I idolized the man.

[guardian]

16. I think I'll add

a Greenpeace bumper sticker on my Ford Excursion...it will add a lot of 'green' value. Maybe get a second car too. I'll buy a Hummer. I mean it is an existing vehicle. Not like I had it built. I'll inflate the tires for for energy efficiency.

I'm feeling 'green' already.

[Liberal_in_LA]

19. ok, I stand corrected. Thanks for the info

[kristopher]

8. "Al's eco talk" isn't communistic rhetoric - it is grounded understanding of our culture

The implication that ecological consciousness requires behavior ala Ed Begley is a false right wing meme created to discredit those who want to change our energy system.

I suspect you really don't understand that fossil fuels and nuclear power are, in the long run, far more expensive than a world powered by renewables - AND these technologies all require that energy flows through a choke point where central authoritarian power can concentrate.

WITH CURRENT TECHNOLOGY WE CAN CHANGE THAT SYSTEM WITHOUT SACRIFICING OUR MODERN EXISTENCE.

It makes economic sense to change to renewable energy and rid our system of inefficiencies in energy use.

It makes health sense to change to renewable energy and rid our system of inefficiencies in energy use.

It makes national security sense to change to renewable energy and rid our system of inefficiencies in energy use.

And it makes sense to change to renewable energy and rid our system of inefficiencies in energy use for reasons of individual dignity and social justice.


If you believe Al Gore is the bad guy in this scenario, you don't understand what is at stake for you personally.

[guardian]

17. Maybe we should listen to another eco genius

Sheryl Crow. After all she's going to save the planet one square of toilet paper at a time: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6583067.stm

Though I think a lot of the "little people" will have to will have to economize to make up for her personal lifestyle: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/backstagetour/scrow/scrow1.html




"WITH CURRENT TECHNOLOGY WE CAN CHANGE THAT SYSTEM WITHOUT SACRIFICING OUR MODERN EXISTENCE."

ummmm I don't think you are paying attention. That's not the message of Al Gore, George Monbiot, the media, or even many posters in this very forum preach. The consistent message is that we must change, we must sacrifice, we must consume less, we must do with less, drive smaller cars, drive slower, ride bikes or walk instead of using a car, change your diet--eat only local food, etc. ..... or is the REAL message that YOU must change but those of us in the anointed class are exempt?

[kristopher]

18. That is right wing claptrap.

Systemic changes to encourage conservation and efficiency are not synonymous with forcing anyone into the lifestyle of a hermit nor a conversion of society to a system of communes. Your argument is, very simply, nothing but right wing bullshit.

[guardian]

23. And your argument

is blind eviro-hypocrisy.

[kristopher]

27. There is no hypocrisy.

Show me one place where Gore advocates returning to a primitive lifestyle. The goal of energy planners is to replace what we have and meet new demand with energy efficiency improvements (such as electric vehicles) and renewable, sustainable energy sources. Gore has done nothing other than pursue that goal.

Why do you reject basic good sense? Replacing our centralized thermal grid and eliminating our reliance on fossil fuels is positive in EVERY SENSE - economic, health, national security, and even individual empowerment. Whey the hell would you pick at that? What is there to object to?

[tinrobot]

20. Good for him.

I'd much rather he buy another mansion than the CEO of BP.

Proves you don't need to rape the Gulf of Mexico to get rich. I hope other entrepreneurs follow in Vice President Gore's footsteps.

[guardian]

24. "I hope other entrepreneurs follow in Vice President Gore's footsteps."

I guess "entrepreneur" is now the new phrase for "snake oil salesman"

[tinrobot]

25. At least he's not an "oil saleseman"

[glitch]

28. Is your source Larouche? be honest. nt

[tinrobot]

29. Did you know John McCain has SEVEN houses?

...and Rush Limbaugh lives in a ultra-tacky 31,000 sf house in Florida.

Al Gore's new house is a relatively puny 6,500 sf.

Perhaps you should direct your faux-outrage elsewhere.

[XemaSab]

31. Santa Barbara is temperate year-round

I had to turn the heater on for a whole exciting week when I lived there, and you don't need AC.

This may be more energy efficient than many smaller houses back east.

[tinrobot]

32. I have some good friends in Montecito

I go out to see them every few months. The weather there is pretty darn nice, foggy in the morning, burning off to a nice sunny afternoon, and very pleasant in the evenings. Nice ocean breeze most of the time. Most houses there leave their windows open throughout the day. Gore might use the fireplaces in the mornings, but I doubt his air conditioner or heater will run very often.

[garybeck]

34. did you verify the accuracy of this video?

just because something is on youtube doesn't mean it's true

several people have commented it's BS.

[wtmusic]

35. It's true

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/apr/28/home/la-hm-hotprop-gore-20100428

[guardian]

38. Another link

Also to paraphrase your comment... just because several people have commented it's BS, doesn't mean it's BS.

http://beverlyhills.pulseonrealestate.com/11624/al-gore... /

[wtmusic]

37. He's not as bad as some Republicans!!1

I can't believe some people think this is a defense for the man who has become the leader of the movement to fight climate change.

Anyone indulging in this kind of excess in today's world is really pretty sad.

[GumboYaYa]

40. In 2006 when my film was nominated with Inconvenient Truth for an

award, Gore showed up to the awards ceremony in a stretch hummer limo. He is a massive hypocrit IMO.

[guardian]

41. Congratulations on the nomination.

Good work.

[Kringle]

43. Al's company seems to invest in everything except clean electric...

Al's company seems to invest in everything except clean electric power plants,

why is that?