Bush's Texas ranch more environmentally friendly than Gore's Mansion?

Question

It bothered me that Al Gore drove a full-sized Cadillac when he filmed An Inconvenient Truth a couple of years ago, but it really bothers me that his mansion uses more than 20 times the energy that a typical American home. Snopes.com goes as far as stating that President Bush's ranch is more environmentally friendly (http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/gorehome.asp). Looking past the Cadillac in the film, and the insane amount of fuel he burns while using his private jet, do you find it ubsurd that he uses our precious rescources the way that he does?

***Please no Bush bashing comments please, I'm curious about Gore, not the president. Thanks***

Answer 1

The home gore bought was energy ineffecient. Solar panels have been added since.

Answer 2

Yup, I've found this very hypocritical as well. I asked of my liberal friends about it. He said that Gore uses Geothermal power for his house which neutralizes it. I asked him why didn't he use less electricity while producing the same amount, in effect having a negative carbon footprint.

(You know, because we'll die in ten years or whatever. And as the paragon of virtue surely Gore is going to do everything in his power to reverse this. )

No answer.

Answer 3

Actually I find the question absurd and wonder that maybe if he stopped breathing and eating and passing gas then it would cut green house gasses too..get real and look at the greed around you driving SUVs and air conning their house and all the other more obvious assaults on the earth before you zero in on Gore..when you Americans stop parrotting your ridiculous media, the world may listen once again....and you mention the Bush ranch...ever see Kennebuncport?

Answer 4

That does look pretty bad and I think he is a bit of a hypocrite. I don't think it really has any bearing on the global warming debate, as so many try to make it. Most scientists and others that believe in GW aren't tooling around in private jets.

Answer 5

I've heard the same things.  

Neither one of those two occupies a big space in my consciousness.  To 7/8ths of humanity this is just local politics.

Answer 6

Precisely why his whole campaign is ripe garbage.

Let's all follow his lead and live his extravagant, wasteful, carbon rich lifestyle.

Answer 7

Two problems with your thinking. Firstly, a Cadillac is not that bad a car when compared to others in its size class. Secondly, comparing a ranch or "average American home"  to a mansion is not really legitimate, is it? How about comparing Gore's mansion to Bush's? How "green" is the White House?

Answer 8

Gore's home is now pretty environmentally friendly.  He's made many improvements which has gotten him LEED gold certification from the Green Building Council:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/12/...

Certainly I wish he would set a better example by having a smaller carbon footprint, but frankly I don't particularly care about Al Gore's lifestyle.  I take responsibility for my own actions without needing to compare them to other people's.

Answer 9

Yes it does seem hypocritical. What about the people who come on here and tell us it is not their job to tell Gore what to do. They came on YA to tell all of us what to do, though. Why is Gore off limits, but everyone else is free game? I could accept the Gore thing, if they would also leave me alone.