bathrooms as "gas guzzlers"
in the constant battle over energy policy in this country, we've finally started to see some progress as Al Gore and Hollywood combined to push global warming to the fore, and the newly Democratic Congress considers bills with actual teeth. there's a good chance that we're going to see serious action on the issues of carbon emissions and renewable energy in the next year.
that said, the global warming deniers have enough ammunition (ridiculous and misinformed though it may be) without people like Gore and John Edwards giving them extra ammunition. first Gore has his own energy use questioned by groups who wonder why his 10,000 square foot Tennessee home has an average monthly electric bill of $1,200. then i read today that Edwards' new home near Chapel Hill is over 28,000 square feet and includes a recreational building and 11 bathrooms. how ridiculous is that? this guy likes to play up his working-class roots and is pushing for a new global warming treaty. and while i'd certainly vote for him over the sickening pandering of Hillary, he's not helping his cause here (at least with me)
so much of the global warming and pollution debate had focused on vehicles like Hummers, while buildings quietly account for 43% of carbon emissions in this country, compared to 32% for transportation. buildings really represent a significant opportunity to reduce energy use in this country because the technology and materials to make them more efficient already exist. and by building "green" you save money in the long run through energy savings and potential tax breaks, even if you pay a small premium up front. all those extra rooms to heat, cool and power are much more wasteful than the terrible gas mileage of an SUV.
i'm not saying that people can't live in any home they choose, just that anyone who is preaching the cause of environmentalism, emissions reductions and responsible consumption needs to seriously consider their own actions. plus, these vulgar and wasteful displays of wealth serve only to highlight the disparities between them and the average American, making their admonitions and exhortations ring hollow. no one is asking them to take a vow of poverty, but a little more walking the talk would be helpful. build a (smaller) Energy Star home. utilize green building materials. put some solar panels on the damn thing. show people that it's easy to do these things and that cutting consumption doesn't mean cutting back on quality of life, and that practicing resource conservation doesn't have to mean dropping out of society and living off the land.
for those interested, my organization is helping to organize a large public rally and installation called Sea of People on April 14th in Lower Manhattan. check out the website and come out and participate to encourage Congress to take action on climate change. i think it's going to be a pretty cool event.