An Inconvenient Truth...

[Andy B]

I do believe that there is global warming, I'm just not convinced that there is adequate evidence that it is man-made, especially seeing as this isn't the first time it's happened. I also don't believe that Gore's "We only have 10 years to fix it" mantra is anything more than hysteria. YMMV.



Yes, I'm raising them to become responsible adults that don't buy into every brand of hysteria that comes down the pike.

But will they recocognise the truth!

 

[disneyfan67]

Is it really going to kill any one to change a few light bulbs and unplug a few unused appliances, lower your thermostat by a couple of degrees etc. My god why does everything have to come down to nasty politics. Who cares who the messenger is. That is what is wrong with todays political climate, it is all about divide and conquering the people. Even if AL Gore is wrong, all you will end up with is a lower energy bill and a cleaner environment.

I'm using your post conciergekelly to make a point, bit it's not an attack on you. There's a lot of misconceptions out here and I want to clear up some. Not every person who disagrees with Al Gore doesn't admit that some change is taking place with the environment. I like clean air and water just like the rest of you, I just disagree with how some want to go about it.


Politics has nothing to do with this issue for me and it's not the reason why I dislike Al Gore and the large numbers of celebrities that are on the Global warming band wagon. They preach one thing, yet live in complete hypocrisy. I live very, very close to a small regional airport in a suburb of Chicago, that is home to many private jets. It's no secret that Oprah and many celebrities who appear on her show arrive there. It provides them perfect, private access to the Chicagoland area. A lot of well to do, famous people use that airport and some of them are supposed to be friends of the environment. I think private air travel for the most part, is a gross waste of fuel and an example of excess and gluttonly. It's the way I feel. As far as I'm concerned, fly commercial like everyone else.


My wife and I have given up our larger cars we used to own and now we use two smaller, fuel efficient vehicles. We did that in part of high fuel cost and to lessen our dependence on oil from the Middle East. No one in my house has a car that has a V8 or gets less than 18 mpg. I miss my Chevy Suburban and while it was a gas guzzling pig, it was certainly comfortable. I just couldn't justify having a vehicle that size with just 4 people living in the house hold. 7 years ago had the outside of my house stripped of the old wood siding, new energy efficient windows installed, house wrapped in Tyvek wrap, and energy efficient vinal siding installed. We updated the furnace with a newer, more efficient unit and we also keep it at 68 degrees through out most of the winter. We recycle as well. I've done my part and don't use excuses like, "I purchase carbon offsets so please overlook my private jet usage".

How much more do I have to do? These things my wife and I did really put a crimp in our budget and we had to make some big cutbacks. I don't see Al Gore or George Clooney make severe cutbacks to their lifestyles, like I did. If you want me to sail on the S.S Global warming, then you better be on the same boat I am. Excuses walk.

 

[KikiFan]

It's no secret that Oprah and many celebrities who appear on her show arrive there. It provides them perfect, private access to the Chicagoland area. A lot of well to do, famous people use that airport and some of them are supposed to be friends of the environment. I think private air travel for the most part, is a gross waste of fuel and an example of excess and gluttonly. It's the way I feel. As far as I'm concerned, fly commercial like everyone else.

I'm with you on this. A large percentage of the people using private jets don't need to.

But I think it's a broad brush to say no one should ever use them. I'm sure there are security issues involved with Gore traveling. And there is a cost/ benefit issue as well. The majority of Gore's traveling is to educate people about global warming (he's given his speech over a 1000 times) How much good has he done? I'm going to cut him a little slack on his travel, because he's not flying to Paris for a night of dancing. His traveling probably results in a lot greater awareness of the cause.

My wife and I have given up our larger cars we used to own and now we use two smaller, fuel efficient vehicles. We did that in part of high fuel cost and to lessen our dependence on oil from the Middle East. No one in my house has a car that has a V8 or gets less than 18 mpg. I miss my Chevy Suburban and while it was a gas guzzling pig, it was certainly comfortable. I just couldn't justify having a vehicle that size with just 4 people living in the house hold. 7 years ago had the outside of my house stripped of the old wood siding, new energy efficient windows installed, house wrapped in Tyvek wrap, and energy efficient vinal siding installed. We updated the furnace with a newer, more efficient unit and we also keep it at 68 degrees through out most of the winter. We recycle as well. I've done my part and don't use excuses like, "I purchase carbon offsets so please overlook my private jet usage".

How much more do I have to do? These things my wife and I did really put a crimp in our budget and we had to make some big cutbacks. I don't see Al Gore or George Clooney make severe cutbacks to their lifestyles, like I did. If you want me to sail on the S.S Global warming, then you better be on the same boat I am. Excuses walk.

I think what you've done is amazing. I think it's safe to say you did a lot more then most. I don't think anyone would say that you have to do more. The number I've seen somewhere is that we all need to aim for a 25% reduction. I'd say you've done that.

 

[TheDoctor]

Please do. Last time I checked, it was the electoral votes that count, not the popular vote. So, please explain how Al Gore had more electoral votes, yet he lost the election.

Stop the spin. Embrace the facts.

Read the posted articles. It you who is ignoring the facts. Al Gore actually won the popular vote in Florida. The only reason that he did not win the 2000 election was the vote by five republican supreme court justices who stopped the recount. If the recount in Florida had been allowed to be be completed, Vice President Gore would have had more votes in Florida than bush and so would have won the electoral vote as well as the popular vote.

 

[TheDoctor]

Politics has nothing to do with this issue for me and it's not the reason why I dislike Al Gore and the large numbers of celebrities that are on the Global warming band wagon. They preach one thing, yet live in complete hypocrisy.

According to what I have read and have posted, Vice President Gore only rarely filies on private planes and when he does use a private plane, he buys carbon offsets.

My wife and I have given up our larger cars we used to own and now we use two smaller, fuel efficient vehicles. We did that in part of high fuel cost and to lessen our dependence on oil from the Middle East. No one in my house has a car that has a V8 or gets less than 18 mpg. I miss my Chevy Suburban and while it was a gas guzzling pig, it was certainly comfortable. I just couldn't justify having a vehicle that size with just 4 people living in the house hold. 7 years ago had the outside of my house stripped of the old wood siding, new energy efficient windows installed, house wrapped in Tyvek wrap, and energy efficient vinal siding installed. We updated the furnace with a newer, more efficient unit and we also keep it at 68 degrees through out most of the winter. We recycle as well. I've done my part and don't use excuses like, "I purchase carbon offsets so please overlook my private jet usage".

Cool. The steps that you have taken are great and I am impressed. If everyone took similar steps, it would help the issue. If you read the article from the Tennessee paper, you would have seen that Vice President Gore is also taking steps to increase the energy efficiency of his home including putting in solar panels. As noted elsewhere a 10,000 SF house takes a great deal more to cool and heat compared to a smaller home and so I do not think that the energy usage by the Gores is out of line. My old home had higher electricity bills than the Gores home and was smaller and a little newer. I

 

[BuckNaked]

Just an FYI. They now have enclosed bulbs that look pretty much like a typical light bulb - just for you're decorative lighting!

If by typical light bulb you mean the regular 40 watt type bulbs, that's not what I'm talking about. We have a large chandelier in the dining room, as well as sconces, that use the "candle" type bulbs. The bathrooms all have large bar-type fixtures with the big globe bulbs. CFLs aren't going to look so great in those places.

Incidently, you are absolutely right, Global Warming has occured before, repeatedly in fact. What is different this time is the severity of this warming. It is considerably higher then it has ever been. In fact, Gore addresses this very issue in his film. He uses a chart that diagrams the warming trends, past and present. It's very disturbing to see the how much higher this one is in comparison to previous.

The earth's temperature is considerably higher now than it has ever been before? I find that hard to believe.

 

[BuckNaked]

But will they recocognise the truth!

And in thirty years, there will be a new truth. There always is. Thirty years ago we were all supposed to be panicked about the fact that we were entering an ice age.

There will always be scientists that look for disaster and mayhem around every corner, and there will always be people that are ready and willing to be frightened by what the scientists say.

SSDD.

 

[Corwin12]

Here are some facts on this so called policy for research http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dave-johnson-and-james-boyce/a-far-too-convenient-mea_b_42171.html

You back up what you have to say with a blog post??? Are you serious? What exactly are you a doctor of? You blind allegiance and propensity towards accepting only that information which supports your ideas is ludicrous.

 

[toto2]

If by typical light bulb you mean the regular 40 watt type bulbs, that's not what I'm talking about. We have a large chandelier in the dining room, as well as sconces, that use the "candle" type bulbs. The bathrooms all have large bar-type fixtures with the big globe bulbs. CFLs aren't going to look so great in those places.



.

So this is a reason to buy no fluoresent bulbs for the rest of the house ? Your chandelier is is in the dinning room, so it might not be the most used light ficture in the house , so I see no problem . For the bathroom , if the lights are on only when needed , again I see no problem. We dont need to be more catholic than the pope about all this !

 

[BuckNaked]

So this is a reason to buy no fluoresent bulbs for the rest of the house ?

No, the fact that I don't like fluorescent lighting is reason to buy no fluorescent lighting for the rest of my house.

Your chandelier is is in the dinning room, so it might not be the most used light ficture in the house , so I see no problem . For the bathroom , if the lights are on only when needed , again I see no problem.

Unless you plan to send me a check to pay for my power bill, there is no reason for you to have a problem with whatever type of bulb I choose to use.

We dont need to be more catholic than the pope about all this !

I have no idea where you're coming from here, but whatever.

 

[LakeAriel]

What about -- kite flying in Iraq?? Or are you talking about his fake docu-drama "Bowling for Columbine"?

Go back and watch the movie..he said it then and has been proven correct. Bush wanted this war before 9/11 and used that tragedy as an excuse to make up lies and bolster false intelligence to go to Iraq..all the while the hijackers were 15 Saudi's, one Egyptian, two Lebanese and two from the United Arab Republic..you remember them? The people we were contracting out our Port security to? and the Saudi's, our good old buds?

 

[toto2]

No, the fact that I don't like fluorescent lighting is reason to buy no fluorescent lighting for the rest of my house.




Unless you plan to send me a check to pay for my power bill, there is no reason for you to have a problem with whatever type of bulb I choose to use.



I have no idea where you're coming from here, but whatever.

It is just a french expression that I've translated that means that you dont have to do everything perfectly in order to do it right.

I was not telling you what to do , I was just suggesting something , and that the decorative light bulbs might not be such a big problem. You can use the nergy you buy as you see fit , and spend your money the way you want o , it is yours. Lets just say that , I was suggesting to other people who have the types of light you have , but would want to lower ther energy bill , that they dont have to sweat to much and that a few exeption to the fluorescent light bulb desire they might have is not that big a problem ( Translated by the expression : you dont need to be more catholic than the pope)

 

[conciergekelly]

"AP
Fighting Global Warming With Light Bulbs
Wednesday February 21, 8:33 pm ET
By Terence Chea, Associated Press Writer
Yahoo, Wal-Mart Join Light Bulb Campaign to Fight Global Warming


SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- A coalition of private companies and government agencies is launching a grass-roots marketing campaign to persuade more Americans to help combat global warming by using energy-efficient light bulbs.



The 18Seconds movement is aimed at getting Americans to replace electricity-wasting incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs that are up to five times more efficient and last several times longer.

The campaign -- named for the average time it takes to change a light bulb -- is scheduled to launch Thursday at the Tech Museum of Innovation in downtown San Jose.

The coalition includes Yahoo Inc., Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Environmental Defense, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, U.S. mayors, retailers, religious organizations and conservation groups.

The campaign's goal is to increase awareness of energy-efficient light bulbs as a way to slow global climate change, organizers say. If every American swapped just one bulb, advocates say, the country could save $8 billion in energy costs and eliminate 2 million cars worth of greenhouse gas emissions.........."










Could you find one light bulb to change. It doesn't take much to do our part if we work collectively.

 

[BuckNaked]

Could you find one light bulb to change. It doesn't take much to do our part if we work collectively.

Not in any room I'm going to be in, no. I don't like fluorescent light, period. I have to deal with it when I'm working, but I won't when I'm at home.

 

[Galahad]

Do you want to persuade or do you want to win an argument? Telling somebody "you're stupid - stop being stupid and be like me and all will be well" is not a great way to win friends and influence people.

 

[BuckNaked]

I don't get that either, Galahad. Nor do I get the whole "I'm doing, so you need to do it too!" attitude.

Want to go to all CFLs? Have at it! But unless you're paying my electric bill, the kind of bulb I use is not anyone else's business.

 

[reeeoga]

I don't get that either, Galahad. Nor do I get the whole "I'm doing, so you need to do it too!" attitude.

Want to go to all CFLs? Have at it! But unless you're paying my electric bill, the kind of bulb I use is not anyone else's business.

Good for you .

I actually switched because I like the light better from a CFB than Incandecent. It just works better for me. Go with what you want .

 

[Charade]

As noted elsewhere a 10,000 SF house takes a great deal more to cool and heat compared to a smaller home and so I do not think that the energy usage by the Gores is out of line.

With the money he has he could have easily put in a high efficiency zoned heating/cooling system. He might even have done that already. The point is, a properly rehabed 10,000 sqft house could actually cost about the same to heat/cool as a typical mass produced smaller house.

But his house doesn't. It cost upwards of 20 times the typical home. He's obviously got a lot of work to do.

 

[TheDoctor]

Here are some additional facts.

First, the right wing slime machine did not get their information from the ultility and so I wonder what they are basing this report on. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17369241/

But electric company spokeswoman Laurie Parker said the utility never got a request from the policy center and never provided them with any information.

Second, Vice President Gore's office has passed the following information on. http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2007/2/26/21750/6965/394#c394

I just received a very nice thank you email from Vice President Gore's office in Nashville....

Vice President Gore's office also wanted everyone to know:

100 percent of the power the Gores use in their home (and in all their homes though I wouldn't bring this up) is green power.

Both the Vice President and Mrs Gore have home offices and conduct business at the house so obviously they use more power than someone who is just a homeowner

The Gores drive a hybrid, use compact fluorescents, et cetera

And the Gores live a carbon neutral life which means that for every ton of carbon they emit, they also purchase offsets.

James Cannon Boyce

 

[Charade]

Here are some additional facts.

Here's another one. The numbers are accurate.