Posted on 07/13/2008 3:09:19 PM PDT by Brilliant
Last March, we received word that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was offsetting his jet travel demands by purchasing green credits. The cost of Schwarzeneggers travel was to be annually invested in sustainable forest management projects. At that time, it was reported that the Governor was flying twice-weekly from his office in Sacramento, CA to his mansion in Brentwood, CA. We firmly believed then that the offsetting was, at best, a band-aid for a habit that in one hour would do more damage to the environment than a small car could inflict over the course of one year.
Now, the LA Times is reporting that Schwarzeneggers habit has increased to commuting nearly every day by private jet a move that regardless of offsetting, is widely considered as damaging to a champion of environmental issues and cover-boy for various green magazine issues. From the article,
Administration officials say Schwarzenegger is well aware of this and makes amends by purchasing pollution credits for the carbon dioxide his jet releases. The credits fund efforts worldwide to reduce greenhouse gases, such as projects that harness energy from wind, landfill gas and farm waste, although they dont eliminate the pollution from Schwarzeneggers plane. Flying the Gulfstream and other jets the governor uses costs as much as $10,000 an hour. Some conservationists say Schwarzenegger is essentially attempting to buy a clean conscience with the carbon offsets, which cost about $43 an hour.
In defense, Schwarzenegger says his family needs him and such daily trips warrant the commute. While I can understand the personal importance of such an action, as a representative of the people and a role-model for sustainable initiatives Arnold should suck it up and simply crash in Sacramento for a bit. Commuting daily in a private jet erodes the pedestal of anyone championing green living and warning against the dangers of climate change. Offsetting is simply not enough. As weve said before, you have to be the change in this shift to make an impression.
It's a tax.
The Saudi's and the high oil prices are buying all our debt.
I don;t think he is hypocritical, exactly. HE never said that he should take steps to help the environment. HE has only said that the rest of us should.
If he had said that he should take steps, that would make him a hypocrite.
Is that a hydrogen Gulfstream?
Who controls the money for the carbon credits?
Prove it, Ahnold. Who do you buy your credits from? How much do you pay for them?
Oh, and by the way, did you take your family with you whenever you had to go out of the country to film your movies?
I didn't think so.
Notice how now it's morphing from "carbon credits" to "green credits"? Guess even the enviro-weenies are starting to realize that the too-much-carbon argument doesn't hold water.
translation: He's getting scammed.
No. It's more like he's the Judas Goat in this....Lead by example and all that B.S.
This is like the televangelists who scream a puritanical morality but have hookers and gay trysts on the side.
Never believe anyone who protests too much.
BUSTAMANTE!
This is exactly why I cannot take the global warming scare seriously. The people who keep telling me it is a crisis and I MUST change my lifestyle, make no effort to change theirs. I refuse to be lectured by someone whose carbon footprint is bigger than mine.
Last March, we received word that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was offsetting his jet travel demands by purchasing green credits.
It makes no difference what he buys, his carbon footprint is still the same. A piece of paper doesn’t reduce anything. MANUFACTURING THE PAPER JUST INCREASES THE FOOT PRINT.
Either that or utilize some of the telecommuting technologies that everyone else is using.
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