Al Gore and Carbon Offsets

According to Wikipedia

"A carbon offset is a service that tries to reduce the net carbon emissions of individuals or organizations indirectly, through proxies who reduce their emissions and/or increase their absorption of greenhouse gases. A wide variety of offset actions are available; tree planting is the most common. Renewable energy and energy conservation offsets are also popular, including emissions trading credits."

"The intended goal of carbon offsets is to combat global warming."

So the New York Post runs a lead editorial called Gore The Guzzler and complains that the former Vice President, a son of a Senator, a multi-millionaire, is a hypocrite, because he uses more energy than some immigrant family living off public assistance in the Bronx.

Me, I wonder how Gore's energy use compares to that other son of a Senator turned Vice President (George 41). The Post complains about Gore wasting energy, but what about Dick Cheney's world-wide tour of spreading mischief and misinformation throughout the South Pacific? I wonder how much energy that uses.

The New York Post doesn't make that comparison. That would be an honest comparison, and the Post doesn't seem to be up to anything honest.

Nevertheless, the Post goes on to say:

"A spokeswoman for Gore didn't dispute the figures, but insisted the former Second Family purchases enough energy from renewable sources to offset their sizable carbon footprint."

"No doubt."

But then the Post tries to finesse the matter by saying.

"But that's just another way of saying that the rich truly are different."

And a statement like that is all the proof you need that no matter how dishonest and sleazy you think the Clintons are, Bill and Hillary are no match for even a mainstream Republican outfit like The New York Post when they start to run a smear campaign.

Because the rich are not different. Anyone can buy carbon offsets.

Just mosey on over to Terrapass and see for yourself.

If you can't afford carbon offsets for your lifestyle, then you can't afford your lifestyle.

And I don't mean you can't afford your lifestyle in the bleeding heart don't-you-care-what-you're-doing-to-poor-Mother-Earth sense.

I mean in the you need to see a bankruptcy lawyer sense.

I think that the people who are writing the New York Post know that.

Unless, of course, the people writing the New York Post get their information from reading the New York Post.