When debating the Global Warming issue, those of us that believe this to be a man-made hoax (not the warming part, just the cause of it) geared into generating profits and political prestige are often chided as “obtuse”, “ignorant”, “uncaring”, and just plain blind to the truth.

Al Gore, pushed by his self proclaimed apocalyptic vision of an earth doomed by global warming has decided to change our minds. We all know and love his stance on the Environment, and of course his newest contribution: the documentary “An Incontinent Truth.”

However, for someone who apparently sees the earth on the precipice of doom if people (most specifically Americans) don’t change their ways, Mr. Gore seems pretty stress-free about his own lifestyle. In a recent paper by Peter Schweizer, Al’s life style is examined to see if he measures up to the “carbon-neutral” life that he advocates for the rest of us.

Unfortunately (but not unsurprisingly) he fails to meet this standard in a myriad of ways. He stated that he uses renewable energy credits to offset the jet-setting around to give speeches, and he drives a hybrid. But what he didn’t tell you is that he owns three homes. A 10,000 (8 bathrooms!) sqft home in Nashville, a 4,000 sqft home in Arlington Va, and another in Carthage TN. First, let’s just imagine the utility bills there. Then imagine how much of that is powered by “carbon-neutral” methods.

I’m not advocating the man go homeless, but is a 10k square foot mansion needed in conjunction with two other homes? But wait, there’s more: In his Arlington VA home and Nashville home the local power companies offer a program where, for a $.02 increase per KW, you can have your home powered via wind energy. But guess who’s not on that program… for either home. That’s a lot of light bulbs and air conditioning running off of a non-renewable power source.

Then of course there is the matter of his families stock holdings (of which he is prime executor). Occidental (Oxy) Petroleum, who has been mired in controversy over oil drilling in ecologically sensitive areas, doesn’t seem to be a stock that Al Gore minds owning, and owning lots of; hundreds of thousands of dollars worth.

However there is also the issue of the little known mining company Pasminco Zinc. They give Al $20,000 a year in royalties for the zinc they pull from a mine on land he owns. Yet the company is pretty well known to Tennessee authorities for adding large quantities of barium, iron and zinc to the nearby Caney Fork River.

All of this really is just pointing fingers around, but if the situation is so dire, and the need is so great… why does the change always have to start with the rest of us? Why can’t the change start with the most influential, the most well-known, the most wealthy of the Global Warming elite?

Actions speak louder than words, and maybe we’re not in the mortal danger that is being shoved down our throats after all?