Is that global warming or are you just happy to see me?

I have received an interesting link to an article entitled, "Al Gore's Personal Energy Use Is His Own "Inconvenient Truth"" which details Al Gore's exorbitant use of electricity at a great cost to the world's atmosphere. The fact that he is a bit of a hypocrit is exhibited in his film as he travels around the country in luxury limos and planes, and uses energy-guzzling displays for his presentations.

The one scary point here is, the article does not dispute any of the assertions that Gore makes in his movie. I will add to that, I've watched some of his movie (intending to finish it) and much of what he says is now popularly accepted science or common sense, or both. This is the point that we need to focus on.

Gore may or may not (I lean towards the former) be a hypocrit but that doesn't make him wrong!! I will continue to advocate a position that I have been advocating since I was 10 (and I still have the newspaper clipping to prove it), we need to take responsibility for our world. Steps have been taken through the advent of recycling (despite Penn and Teller's video - for an educated rebuttal click here), the Federal Clean Air Act, CAFE, and other initiatives. More importantly, we need to take it upon ourselves to do what we can.

There is an interesting article in this month's This Old House magazine entitled, "Planning a Green Remodel". It tells about how to remodel your home with energy-saving and environmentally conscious designs at a price that fits whatever budget you may have. You don't have to live in a dirt bungalow and burn whale-oil lamps to start to help the environment. Give it a read.

You can also find plenty of books over at Barnes and Noble that will help with this effort. Some of their recommendations include:
Green Remodeling: Changing the World One Room at a Time

,
The New Ecological Home: A Complete Guide to Green Building Options

or
Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings: All New Listings of the Most Efficient Products You Can Buy

In addition, plan your trips to make them the most efficient they can be. This is not only environmentally sound, it's good economics as well. If you can, consider the hybrids. Consumer Reports has admitted that their previous assertion that they don't really save gas, was based on incorrect calculations. In addition to saving gas, they dramatically reduce greenhouse emissions. Again, good economics.

I'm for improving the environment, not returning to the stone age. I believe that as Duke Energy, GE, and BP continue to find $$$ in becoming "green", it will only help us solve problems. As mentioned above, it's not only good for us, it's good for our wallets too.

Thoughts anyone?