An Inconvenient Challenge

The climate chaos and environmental doom-and-gloom of the film An Inconvenient Truth conclude with a dark screen and a single line of glowing text. The Al Gore documentary, proclaiming man-made global warming and a subsequent environmental apocalypse, asks “Are you ready to change the way you live?” The gauntlet has been cast down.

In the wake of the blockbuster documentary, Senator James Inhofe, R-Okla., of the Senate Environmental Public Works Committee issued a written challenge to Gore and other Hollywood global-warming advocates, to lead by example and alter their lifestyles toward an environmentally-friendly approach. The challenge was officially issued on March 21, 2007.

Inhofe explained his political bravado, confirming that the notice specifically pertained to the “activists in Hollywood who assert that mankind has only ten years left to act in order to avoid a climate catastrophe.” Such celebrities have long championed the movement in America to alter everyday lifestyle and government policy, so as to prevent a supposed man-made climate catastrophe. The list of advocates includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Madonna, John Travolta, and Laurie David.

“This is not so much a political issue as it is a moral issue,” the film’s website prominently proclaims. Included in the environmental agenda is a list of “10 Simple Things” every American household can undertake to improve the global warming situation. “Use less hot water,” “check your tires,” and “avoid products with a lot of packaging” are three of the steps suggested to conserve energy and lower carbon dioxide levels.

So what is the challenge then, issued to Al Gore following his public parade for the planet? The text of the challenge is as follows, the “Personal Energy Ethics Pledge”:

As a believer:

• that human-caused global warming is a moral, ethical, and spiritual issue affecting our survival;

• that home energy use is a key component of overall energy use;

• that reducing my fossil fuel-based home energy usage will lead to lower greenhouse gas emissions;

• and that leaders on moral issues should lead by example:

I pledge to consume no more energy for use in my residence than the average American household by March 21, 2008.

A study by the Senate EPW Committee reveals that as Gore, as the leader of the nationwide crusade against man-made global warming, consumes 191,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year in his Tennessee mansion. The average American household consumes a total of 11,256 kilowatt-hours per year. That’s 12 times less electricity.

Also, today, August 8, 2007, marks the 140th day that Gore has failed to embrace the challenge and sign Senator Inhofe’s pledge.

Quite an “inconvenient” truth for the face of the global warming activists.

Matt Hadro is an intern at the American Journalism Center, a training program run by Accuracy in Media and Accuracy in Academia.