Talk about ironies. How is it that former Vice President and Academy Award-winner Al Gore has a house in Nashville which is not exactly "environmentally friendly," while President George W. Bush has a house in Crawford, Texas which is? Consider this: Mr. Gore's mansion and guest house together consume more electricity every month than the average American household spends in a year, according to the Nashville Electric Service.
Most Americans don’t own mansions, so this really is an unfair comparison. And it has been stated by Mr. Gore's spokespeople that his residence is "carbon neutral" because its use of carbon-based energy, like coal-fired plants and natural gas, is offset by more fuel-efficient energy. And Mr. Gore’s mansion is currently going through a rehabilitationthat will include solar panels, energy-efficient windows, and other energy-saving technologies. It should also be noted that the Gores drive hybrids and participate in a carbon-credit program that allows them to invest in a third party to reduce one ton of carbon emissions for every ton of carbon their property emits.
The fact that the Gores own a mansion is not the issue. Yes, they're wealthy and they have a really big house—which they're attempting to make more eco-friendly as well. The real issue is one of public relations and how one is to be perceived by the public. It would have been much more advantageous for Mr. Gore—who has traveled down this road before—had literally gotten his house in order before the release of his documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth." The negative publicity now being issued about the Gores’ conspicuous energy consumption at home is just the kind of backlash that Mr. Gore should've expected, and rightly so. When you want to create an environment of change, it’s necessary to do some house cleaning first.
On the other hand, the Texas residence of our current president is fitted with systems that offer renewable energy—including a 25,000-gallon rainwater cistern for irrigation and a geothermal heating and cooling system that sends water 300 feet into the ground, allowing it to maintain a constant 67 degrees, and uses 75 percent less electricity than traditional heating and air conditioning systems. Can you imagine the possibilities if Mr. Bush had showcased his home as a model for the future in utilizing the current technologies available for renewable energy? Doing so would have been an incredible public service for him.
This topic was published as part of the House Media Network newsletter. Read this newsletter in its entirety at www.housemedianetwork.com/newsletter/25
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