Scientists Call AP Report on Global Warming 'Hysteria' (Whole Foods, cost, electricity)

[GreenGene]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

It's undisclosed because the cost must have been jaw dropping. He can afford it, Joe six pack cannot.

Good point. It can take a lot of money to renovate any house to make it more energy efficient, but a house that size? Ouch!

But, I give Gore credit for putting some of his cash where his policies are, and taking considerable steps to reduce the energy used at home.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by vec101

One can support conservation, improved methods of energy, etc. and not believe in the global warming theory. It's not a matter in which doubting the theory equals not supporting improvements. I am concerned about US energy policy being based on a concept which may/may not be true.

This is exactly it. I can believe that we should live in an environmentally friendly way without jumping on any bandwagons. Just as important, I am able to convince more people to live in an environmentally way if I don't insist that they jump on these bandwagons, but simply point out the advantages to them, personally, in doing so. I've found this works much better and more effectively than insisting that they join a "cause".

As for Mr. Gore, were these renovations done before or after it hit the news that his house was so energy inefficient? That would be important to know, don't you think?

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by GreenGene

But, I give Gore credit for putting some of his cash where his policies are, and taking considerable steps to reduce the energy used at home.

Only after it became widely publicized. Note the date on the renovation was in late 2007, a little more than a year ago. I believe that started with a email that was getting circulated around comparing his house to GWB's shortly after he released his movie . Those emails are usually bogus but in this case it was mostly true.

[GreenGene]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

Only after it became widely publicized. Note the date on the renovation was in late 2007, a little more than a year ago. I believe that started with a email that was getting circulated around comparing his house to GWB's shortly after he released his movie . Those emails are usually bogus but in this case it was mostly true.

So, he was catching hell prior to the renovations, and still catches hell after the renovations? {shaking my head}

[rlchurch]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

My numbers are from from 2006, 07? , I'm going from memory. If he has improved his home that is wonderful however the fact remains he was using an extraordinary amount of energy when he was preaching to the rest of the nation we needed to conserve. Still doesn't matter becsue a house of that size even using geo-thermal is still going to use a lot of energy. That's besides the fact he's in region that geo-thermal is suitable, once you get into colder climates where it colder it becomes less effective..... How much do you think the installation for such a sytem cost? answer: $$$

I'd do geo thermal in my own home if the investment wasn't so high. From your article:

It's undisclosed because the cost must have been jaw dropping. He can afford it, Joe six pack cannot.

So now it's class warfare against the Gores because he's wealthy.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by GreenGene

So, he was catching hell prior to the renovations, and still catches hell after the renovations? {shaking my head}

I don't think it's that he made the renovations so much as that the REASON he made the renovations appears to be the bad press he got, not that it was the right thing for HIM to do, just everyone else, until he was busted.

But, then, I've never liked or trusted him for reasons that have more to do with his paternalistic, "don't worry your pretty little head thinking, I know what's right and I'll make sure you do what's right" attitude than with any hypocrisy pertaining to environmentalism.

[michael11747]

Originally Posted by LiveTodayLez08

I was going to read it until I saw it was from Foxnews.com

me too!

[thecoalman]

So, he was catching hell prior to the renovations, and still catches hell after the renovations? {shaking my head}

Damn right he does, one has to wonder if he would still be sucking up energy if it wasn't brought to the publics attention. He certainly had plenty of time to make his house "green" prior to that but failed to take the initiative. You don't see the issue with him using all that energy yet preaching to the rest of us we need to conserve while he's doing it?

Originally Posted by rlchurch

So now it's class warfare against the Gores because he's wealthy.

The initiatives he's pushing would significantly increase the cost of energy across the board and drive the costs up for everything including costs for home heating. People are having issues affording energy costs to heat their homes now, trust me I know. Most people would not have considered coal heat 3 or 4 years ago but they are converting in droves. These costs are not going to effect people such as himself, it's not a matter of class warfare but keeping energy affordable to the working man.

For example a geo-thermal system as I understand it starts at about $20,000 plus in the climate I live in AND you still need an auxiallary heating sytem anyway for the colder months which are many. The initial cost would be the equvalnet of years salary for many people and they still need to meet the auxillary heat requirements. How is joe six pack supposed to afford that? The answer is he can't. It's all well and good if you can afford renewable energy but the fact is that the costs are out of reach for your average homeowner and that goes for any large scale solutions as well.

Renewable energy is inevitably the future and this country would be foolish not to persue such a path however in the meantime we need provide afforable energy until such solutions become viable cost effective alternatives.

[vec101]

Originally Posted by GreenGene

I'm not a huge Al Gore fan, and as with most (all?) politicians, yes, there's a degree of hypocrisy. But in fairness.....

Al Gore Gets Green Kudos for Home Renovation

For a HUGE 80-year-old house, it seems to me that Gore has made several significant improvements in the energy efficiency of his home.

I'd give him more kudos if he did not own the company he is buying his carbon credits from and is not making a fortune off the company.

[fatchance2005]

Originally Posted by vec101

One can support conservation, improved methods of energy, etc. and not believe in the global warming theory. It's not a matter in which doubting the theory equals not supporting improvements. I am concerned about US energy policy being based on a concept which may/may not be true.

I don't share that concern because I don't see our energy policy as based on much of anything but the stock market and the international balance of trade. Still, your skepticism is laudable! It is sad that your kind of skepticism is not taught more aggressively in our school's science classes.