LOOK OVER THE DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FOLLOWING TWO HOUSES AND SEE IF YOU CAN TELL WHICH BELONGS TO AN ENVIRONMENTALIST.

HOUSE # 1:

A 20-room mansion (not including 8 bathrooms) heated by natural gas. Add on a pool (and a pool house) and a separate guest house all heated by gas. In ONE MONTH ALONE this mansion consumes more energy than the average American household in an ENTIRE YEAR. The average bill for electricity and natural gas runs over $2,400.00 per month. In natural gas alone (which last time we checked was a fossil fuel), this property consumes more than 20 times the national average for an American home. This house is not in a northern or Midwestern "snow belt," either. It's in the South.

HOUSE # 2:

Designed by an architecture professor at a leading national university, this house incorporates every "green" feature current home construction can provide. The house contains only 4,000 square feet (4 bedrooms) and is nestled on arid high prairie in the American southwest. A central closet in the house holds geothermal heat pumps drawing ground water through pipes sunk 300 feet into the ground. The water (usually 67 degrees F.) heats the house in winter and cools it in summer. The system uses no fossil fuels such as oil or natural gas, and it consumes 25% of the electricity required for a conventional heating/cooling system. Rainwater from the roof is collected and funneled into a 25,000 gallon underground cistern. Wastewater from showers, sinks and toilets goes into underground purifying tanks and then into the cistern. The collected water then irrigates the land surrounding the house. Flowers and shrubs native to the area blend the property into the surrounding rural landscape.

Who do they belong do?

Coooooooooooooool.

I got that email, too, JJ.

1)Which one is a primary residence? Gore lives in his home. That is Bush's "second home". Bush bought his FARM house when he decided to run for governor, and was living in the governor's mansion shortly thereafter. Of course he moved from there into the White House. What good is this green house if he's never lived or used it?

2) Gore trying to convert an older house, not buying a house "ready made". Anyone that has bought an older home knows how hard the process is for conversion. Many of his wanted conversions have been denied.

3) Bush tells us that the "science is not in" on Global Warming and to "go shopping." When he says we're "addicted to oil" he provides no guidance on how to avoid or lessen this -- yet his house if "off the grid"? His actions have all the appearance of a man who has taken extreme measures to guard against something he wants the rest of us to have no clue is coming.

The description of the second house sounds great! Kudos to the president.

I love the sound of silence that always meets logic.

Sorry. Not everyone is fortunate enough to be slavishly watching the forums for a reply from Saladbar.

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True, his permanent residence is the White House. But if I'm not mistaken, Bush has spent an exceptionally long period of time at his ranch throughout his tenure as President (I don't have any figures to compare with past Presidents on this issue, but it seems to be quite often). Either way, the time spent there, based on the original statement, is irrelevant, because it only tells us the eco-friendly features, and not the consumption stats (which, as you've pointed out, would be skewed because the President doesn't have this as his permanent residence).



You serious?

He's a politician. Please. If he wanted things to be done a certain way, the strings would be pulled. Who is being naive now, Kay?



But, unlike Gore, he isn't around telling everyone to live eco-friendly, and hypocritically doing the exact opposite.

Regards,
Double-J

Actually, hearing that Gore can't get approvals doesn't surprise me. There was a story in our local paper about a couple who was trying to get permits to put solar panels on their roof. I honestly don't remember if it was a renovation or a new construction. However, the local architectural review board denied them the necessary permits because they didn't think that the solar panels fit in with the other homes in the neighborhood and were "unsightly". The couple fought the decision, got some publicity, and eventually got their permits.

I will profess that local zoning and building inspection boards are completely inept, as I can attest that in my area, they don't have a clue.

However, the difference in your example, SB, and in Saladbars, is that Gore is a politician, and those you mentioned are ordinary people, which makes all the difference.

Right, let's have a little bit of an overview on the great measures Dubya is taking to preserve the earth, shall we?

-Bush used EPA funds to make campaign ads. - Washington Post
-Bush proposed loosening protections of endangered species. - Washington Post
-Bush overturned limits on mining waste sites. - Associated Press
-Bush intentionally played down the evidence gathered by white house scientists that supported global warming in Fall 2003. - The Observer
-Bush allowed the sale of PCB-polluted lands. - USA Today
-Bush cuts Energy Star program. - Associated Press

I could go on, but you know. That'd just be boring.

No denying that, DJ. I just am always amazed at how an "architectural review board" can make these decisions, knowing full well that it will help cut down on the use of electricity.

384 days at the ranch.

Congrats, I know I upset you for blaspheming the name of Jesus...err...Al Gore, by posting such drivel like his hypocritical consumption of energy, so much so you felt the need to cite President Bush's actions as President, taking it to a level far beyond the mildly amusing point here.

But, what the hell, let's talk about fucking China. Because, after all, while we're busy running around worrying about global warming, they could give two flying fucks.

I do hope that Gore will be at my parish tomorrow to wash the feet of his loyal followers. He's coming to my University, and already earned the title "Hero of the Earth," so I can see "savior of humanity" coming next.

Regards,
Double-J

The former Vice President's application to install solar panels on his home was denied by the zoning board ...

I could care less about Gore; All politicians are hypocrits. But to say Dubya is even a mediocre environmentalist is blasphemy.

I'm just guessing but if Bush thinks like me, he has all of these "green" admenities because they save money. I only wish I could afford a geothermal system and the water recycling capabilities.

Oh politics are a GREAT idea right now.

First of all, where/when, and what's happening now?

Secondly, maybe the application itself was mere posturing, and, based upon his energy consumption, he really doesn't give a shit? Maybe he just likes to say he "tried," but "the man" shut him down?

Regards,
Double-J

I neither said nor implied Bush was or is "a mediocre environmentalist."

Who is?

Don't apologise.

The very implication that his plan of action on the environment is better than Gore's is blasphemous in itself. Gore isn't the best at following his words, but Bush isn't much better. In fact, he's much worse.

It's the lesser of two evils; Gore is a well-informed idiot, and Bush is just an idiot.

DJ, first you said a politician can get anything done, and now it is just posturing to say "the man stopped him"?

Do you want me to start arguing for your side to help you out? The holes I left for you you didn't catch. I'm no big fan of Al Gore, I just hate those black and white neocon emails.

No.

When I asserted that I had a hard time believing that a politician, particularly as one as prominent as Al Gore, would have little difficulty in getting such things taken care of, you responded by posting a response (unsubstantiated, I might add, despite my asking for a citation) describing how a building board wouldn't allow him to install solar panels. Okay.

Yet, you don't seem to understand my point. Perhaps Gore doesn't really give a shit whether or not the solar panels get installed. Maybe, perhaps, its just image posturing. I know, it may sound strange, but most if not all politicians probably, deep down, don't give a shit, but want to make themselves sound good. Gore can now say that, "well, I tried, but the man shut down my environmentalism. Bush hates black people, he lied, kids died, rah rah rah."

And frankly, I don't need or want your "help."

I've already seen your holes, and have been left unimpressed.

Regards,
Double-J

Judging by your sound of silence comment, and your need to interject, I would believe that you would be that individual (or maybe even a group?).

Frankly, I prefer Celia.

Sincerely,
Double-J

Once again, I'm left at a loss as to where you keep finding this implication which, to my knowledge, remains completely nonexistent.

Best,
Double-J

Describe my holes then.

And provide citations.

I have no need to interject.

But do anyway.

Who originally wrote what you regurgitated in the thread-starter?

From Cambridge Uni.

Saw it on Snopes.

Ah yes, that well-known academic source; a cousin, in fact, of Wikipedia.