John McCain makes much noise about his concern for Global Warming, that he views it as real and something that requires action (even if his actions don’t match his words, also). A more prominent activist on Global Warming, Al Gore, has been hit hard for his supposedly excessive energy use at his home being at odds with his expressing concerns about Global Warming and calling for action in the face of the threats of catastrophic climate change. As per Joe Romm, the time is here to ask “What is the carbon footprint of John and Cindy McCain‘s seven (eight, or is it now ten or twelve or who knows how many) homes?
Now Joe makes a rough estimate of 150 tons per year of carbon dioxide emissions for the energy use of the homes. That is, as Joe states, “a rough estimate.” That “rough estimate,” I would assert is a seriously low-ball estimate: What is the CO2 for all of the furnishings within the homes. (And, well, the McCains certainly don’t seem to skimp on their furnishings.) How about all the CO2 for the supporting activities (the maids, the upkeep, the pools, the outdoor barbecues and whirlpools)? And, perhaps most importantly, is Joe calculating in the impact of Jet Setting John’s and Jet Setting Cindy McCain’s use of her Corporate jet to scurry from one luxury residence to another?
In any event, Joe’s low-balling “rough estimate” is 150 tons for these residences. That, according to Joe, places it at 10 times the average American home. Another way of looking at it: Joe’s low-ball “rough estimate” places just the McCain homes’ annual energy use (not their food, not their transport, not the furnishings, not the …) with CO2 footprint more than 15 times the average American’s emissions (9.44 tons CO2/year).
Should we wait with baited breath for someone in the McCain campaign’s media entourage to ask John the question as to whether he (actually, Cindy … since she pays the bills) is purchasing 100 percent renewable power? Whether they have exceeded local building codes for energy efficiency when building properties? Whether they’ve installed compact fluorescent bulbs and other energy efficient technologies into their own lives? Just as I don’t expect the traditional media to answer the question, I doubt that the McCain’s are leading edge in taking steps to transform their own lives to an energy efficient and clean-energy future.
2 responses so far ↓
1 Kir Kehcsam // Aug 29, 2008 at 12:54 am
My carbon footprint is ~$35 for electric a month. I have been using solar since the seventies, some “hi tech” PV from that time that still powers my hot tub, medium tech black tubing for water heating, a clothes line for solar drying clothes, and shade trees (some fruit bearing) to help cool the house in summer and a wall of south facing windows to help heat the house in the winter (I live in the high desert of the Mojave so it gets hot in the summer and cold in the winter). Plus three wind mills (all purchased without rebates).
During the Reagan administration, I took some students on a field trip along the San Andreas Fault and we stopped at the ARCO pv solar power plant built in 1984 on the Carrizo Plain. When I moved up here to the desert I lived about a mile from the ARCO pv solar power plant (Lugo Plant, Hesperia, California) also built during the Reagan administration. These were inspiring but during the Clinton/GORE administration, these power plants were abandoned (if you go to Google Earth you can see the scar these have made still visible today) http://ludb.clui.org/ex/i/CA4965/
The large LUZ solar plant that was built in the Reagan administration 100 miles north of where I live is still powering thousands of homes today but almost went under during the Clinton/GORE administration. And today, there are several solar power plants being built here in the southwest (yes, during the Bush administration) though they are under fire from environmental organizations. I once claimed membership in the Sierra Club and two other environmental organizations but when I see them drive around in their SUVs and defame the Republicans (I was a Democrat but now independent) I get steamed.
The democrats talk GREEN but don’t practice what they preach. I once went six months without ever using any vehicle other than a bicycle. It wasn’t hard to do. Should I blame Bush and big oil whenever I do use a fossil fueled (which is a form of stored solar energy) when no one has a gun to my head forcing me to?
Spare me the party bickering. Buying “Renewable Green Power” is supposed to make Gore or anyone else’s excessive energy use better? That just means more for them and less for others. According to Obama, we are in the top 5% and will get taxed more to pay for those not making as much. Let me think, one of the things he claims is how he, Michelle, and Barack’s mother worked their butts off to make them what they are today yet wants to tax me more for income redistribution. My wife and I worked part time to put us through school (no student loans). Both of us have worked most of our lives helping others (literally thousands of others) and not paid one tenth of what the Obamas earn. We volunteer in search and rescue risking our lives if needed for strangers at no government expense. We have donated gallons of blood over the years and continue to do so. We live in one modest 800 sq ft home but we don’t begrudge others for having bigger or more homes since we would be happy in a single room cabin.
If Obama thinks that by taxing the top 5% to pay for the rest will solve problems, all he will do is cause the richest to take their money abroad and that will shift the tax burden back on the remaining middle class. But it sounds good, tax the rich, give the middle class a break and give to the poor. When My wife and I years ago bought our house, it took all we could scrape up for the 20% down and work our butts off to keep our 800 sq ft house. Do I feel sorry for some of the people who have lost their house without having to put anything down or took out equity loans for spending money or bought for speculation hoping to make piles of money the next year by flipping their many thousand sq ft house? NO I don’t. Do I feel for the 95% of people struggling to keep making their payments? Yes. Do I feel sorry for those in foreclosure with NINJA loans (No Income-No Job-or Assets) No. Why should I pay for those living above their means? I do feel for those who have lost their house because of illness, job loss, etc. Now I’m way off topic.
Al Gore said at Obama’s coronation today that the greatest president, Ab Lincoln, also started their campaign in Springfield and was a uniter. As I recall, after Lincoln’s election the country became un-united in the Civil War. I will also be posting about what McCain says on conservative sites.
Kir
2 A Siegel // Aug 29, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Kir,
A mix of many different things in this discussion.
1. If all Americans had your carbon footprint, we’d be much better off.
2. Are you suggesting that Reagan was favorable to renewable energy programs? Programs / systems that went into place due to Carter Administration policies that atrophied during Reagan & Bush?
3. Take a look at what has happened to wealth in this nation, the level of wealth (as a percentage) in the highest 1% has been skyrocketing. The inequality is not matched for the past 80 years. We have had a very skewed system over the past eight years. This is not about taxing people to drive them out of the country but about providing equity in terms of helping pay the costs of society. By the way, what has gone in the past eight years is actually the highest tax increases in US history; tax increases on the unborn due to excesses today.
Re “democrats talk green” … there are, perhaps, few in the Party that can match you in reduced footprint, but want to talk about government policy? Who is fighting for “green” policies? Which party is making efforts, even if inadequate, to move the nation toward a a sensible energy posture?