Blog About the Weather

In the wake of the Oscar nod for An Inconvenient Truth, conservative critics of the globalwarming awareness2007 superhero have taken to attacking his energy use in blogs. They are relying on a press release by the ‘Tennessee Center for Policy Research.’

It’s even been picked up in the ‘legitimate’ press, such as the Detroit Free Press. However, as journalists, they researched further to find that Al Gore purchases ‘green’ energy credits and carbon-emissions offset credits. He and his wife drive a hybrid SUV.

The basis of much of the criticism is the cost of the Gore’s energy bills. However, part of the expense is allegedly that they are using alternative energy, which may be costing them more.

Nonetheless, it is hard to debate that Al’s globetrotting in the name of globalwarming awareness uses a lot of energy — no doubt more than his three homes do. His homes are also quite large, especially relative to the amount of time he spends in them, and the fact that as former Vice President he undoubtedly has an awesomely powerful security system sucking down juice.

Criticism of Gore’s own energy use is nothing new. USA Today was criticizing his energy use in August 2006. The current flurry of activity is mostly a result of the new attention on An Inconvenient Truth, and continuing angst that the Democratic party retook Congress and can take steps to legislate new energy rules and ideas.

Hopefully, more of the honest media will also look into the background on the Tennessee Center for Policy Research. While they claim to be non-partisan, they are big believers in free-market solutions for social and policy issues. Speakers from the group are popular speakers at Libertarian Party of Tennessee meteings. Like many think-tanks (both conservative and liberal), here’s betting they have a lot of dirty laundry if only someone sniffs.

It’s important for people within the globalwarming awareness2007 movement to consider if energy usage is purposeful or proper, and match their actions to their outspoken advocacy for globalwarming awareness. It is almost undoubtedly true that Al Gore’s electric bills aren’t a complete picture of his energy use, and his other energy use is probably also higher than most Americans. However, he seems to be doing more with the energy he’s using. Perhaps a fair trade? Only time and globalwarming will tell; in 2007, we cannot have awareness of the long-term impact of his outspoken advocacy for globalwarming awareness versus his present energy use.

Globalwarming awareness2007 includes a new research project — the International Polar Year. This exciting scientific expedition will cost more than $1.5 billion and includes globalwarming research at both the arctic and Antarctic poles.

Climates at the poles impact climate worldwide, as well as the environment for polar bears, penguins, and plankton.

Globalwarming is impacting sea life, including cod fishing, snow crab breeding, and shrimp harvests. Gone unstudied and unchecked, sea temperature change may mean the end of shrimp deals at Red Lobster for Americans in flyover states.

Scientists describe the International Polar Year as a ‘grassroots’ effort for globalwarming awareness, although I’ll be damned if I can name any grassroots with $1.5 billion (a BILLION) in funding. While globalwarming awareness efforts may someday be truly grassroots, the funding on this project is pretty large.

The US is involved in the project, both scientifically and in funding. A kick-off ceremony, sure to be a politician photo op dream, will take place in Washington on Thursday. Maybe hugging a furry polar bear will be the new baby kissing in the new globalwarming awareness paradigm?

CBS News: International Polar Year to start Thursday

For those of you who take your political and scientific views of globalwarming and climate change from game show hosts, Pat Sajak says globalwarming is bogus.

Vanna’s getting older. Does Pat really want to live on a planet with her still wearing skimpy evening gowns? Globalwarming awareness2007 is all about keeping the global climate in check so that agriculture and fashion stays sane. There’s already a major clothing company advertising skanky hoochie wear with the slogan ‘globalwarming ready!’ Do we need to encourage people to wear bad clothing? Can’t we keep naturists in their little niches instead of having them prance about for all to see? Do we really need to see dudes with droopy nutsacks on our streets? Do we need to see Pat Sajak’s droopy nutsack?

We think not!

Popular pastor Jerry Falwell has joined the globalwarming awareness2007 skeptics by proclaiming globalwarming a myth.

Falwell claims that:

• Globalwarming activists want to destroy America’s economy
• Globalwarming awareness2007 is meant to distract everyone from the moral bankruptcy of America
• If there is globalwarming, it’s caused by gay people

Meanwhile, other people of conscience and religious mien, including Catholics, believe that globalwarming is a threat that will harm many, and that Christians should worry about the science of globalwarming and take action in 2007.

More: Falwell: Global Warming a Myth

At last night’s Academy Awards, Al Gore’s film, An Inconvenient Truth, won an Oscar as Best Documentary.

While the award was really won by the director, the director threw praise and a speaking opportunity to Mr. Gore. Naturally, he used it to promote globalwarming awareness2007 and beyond.
Mr. Gore also spoke with Leonardo DiCaprio earlier in the evening and made jokes about running for president. Melissa Etheridge performed her Oscar-nominated theme song from the film, as well.

The continued focus on this film will increase the cause of globalwarming awareness2007. Even at an event like the American Birkebeiner — North America’s largest ski marathon race — multiple showings of An Inconvenient Truth were held on Thursday and Friday, and many skiiers sported bumper stickers and pins proclaiming SKIIERS FOR GLOBAL COOLING.

The globalwarming awareness2007 message is catching on more and more each day. Hollywood’s recognition of Al Gore’s documentary will encourage more popular entertainments on the subject of climate change, and spread the message further. Globalwarming awareness2007 uber alles!

Rumor has it that Britney’s new, bald look is a response to globalwarming awareness2007.

Going with a bald look is a great way for people to embrace the cause of globalwarming awareness2007. Consider the many advantages of baldness:

• shorter showers because you can just rub your head clean, using less energy to heat water to clean your head
• easier cooling mechanism as global temperatures rise due to globalwarming
• when people ask why you went with a bald look, you can preach the message of globalwarming awareness2007

So, take a look to Britney for inspiration and get with globalwarming awareness2007!

Noted adventurer and explorer Ann Bancroft, of Minneapolis Minnesota, and her expedition partner Liv Arneson of Norway, are to spend 50 days in the arctic starting in February. Their goal? To walk more than 850 kilometers (528 miles) while towing sleds to raise globalwarming awareness.

As with past Bancroft-Arneson expeditions, people around the world will be able to follow the expedition online, with daily updates on progress and location of the explorers, as well as regular online chats, blog postings, and photos.

Unlike prior expeditions, this trip is not to be ‘first’ at anything, but is solely to help teach the world’s children about the impact of globalwarming on the polar ice caps.

Bancroft and Arneson traditionally focus their educational efforts on school-age children, a perfect group to receive the message of globalwarming awareness2007. Ms. Bancroft hopes to specifically encourage youths to combat the effects of globalwarming, and fight worldwide climate change.

Due to globalwarming, Bancroft and Arneson expect to find bad ice in their arctic travels. They are equipped to handle it when necessary. Globalwarming is most evident in the arctic, where temperatures are rising faster than the global average.

Ms. Bancroft, in an interview with Canadian TV, encouraged people to take small steps to fight globalwarming, including using public transportation, turning down the home thermostat in winter, planting trees, and take political action. Globalwarming awareness is a cause dear to her, due to the amount of time she has spent in the arctic and Antarctic regions.

Read more of the interview.

Will the death of Anna Nicole Smith have any positive impact on globalwarming awareness2007?

Probably not.

While her net carbon-output will go way way down, the net energy use of all the news stations covering this fact has skyrocketed.

Celebrity deaths: Bad for globalwarming!

In an act of support for the globalwarming awareness movement in 2007, British tycoon Richard Branson — owner of the Virgin Group — is offering a $25 million prize to any scientist who can devise a way to scrub greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere.

This is Branson’s response to the UN report on Globalwarming released in February 2007.

Branson teamed up with globalwarming superhero Al Gore to make his announcement. Branson has also committed $3 billion of his personal fortune to the globalwarming fight, including all profits from his global travel companies. His new Virgin Fuels business is investing more than $400M in alternative energy technology in the next 3 years.

Notable figures like Mr. Branson show great commitment to the globalwarming battle by committing their personal fortunes and notoriety to the globalwarming awareness cause. It is to be hoped that his incentive helps encourage scientists to pursue globalwarming reduction, as such a reward helps prevent other science from seeming more profitable.

More: British tycoon offers $25 million prize to fight global warming (Star Tribune).

Al Gore, former presidential candidate and poster child of the anti-globalwarming movement, is everywhere right now:

• In Madrid, Gore says that the globalwarming fight needs China, in the wake of China’s statement that globalwarming action was the responsibility of major nations, not China.
• Gore is scheduled to testify before the US Congress next month as their globalwarming awareness hearings carry on.
• Gore has been nominated for a prestigious Spanish award for his globalwarming work, as well as for the Nobel Peace Prize.

To date, Mr. Gore has not declared for the US presidential race in 2008, but given his recent stature, it is not hard to imagine him doing so. Many in the globalwarming awareness community are spending 2007 encouraging Al Gore to run, holding community events and bake-sales to raise funds and awareness.

However, we really have to wonder if Gore’s recent global advocacy work is enough to win him the White House. As well, if he were to run for president, would the many demands of that race and position in fact distract him from globalwarming work? It is true that as president, he would work for Congressional acceptance of the Kyoto Protocols and try to get the United States a leadership role in alternative energy development. Tax breaks for hybrid vehicles and alternative fuel sources would also undoubtedly be part of the agenda.

Either way, Gore remains a figure to watch as 2007 shapes up as a year of globalwarming awareness.

Stop Globalwarming has a ‘virtual march’ of people against globalwarming. This tribute to slacktivism features numerous celebrities and political figures ‘marching’ against the dangers of globalwarming.

Some of the ‘featured marchers’ include presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, probable candidate John McCain, as well as numerous other political figures (such as Arnold Schwarzenegger of California).

Some of these politicians have taken legislative stands to help promote alternative fuels and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Others are clearly hoping the American public does not investigate their true environmental records. For instance, Governor Schwarzenegger touts his environmentalism, but has accepted campaign money from big oil companies, and has opposed taxing said companies to help fund alternative energy research.

Meanwhile, those very big oil companies are also funding a think-tank that is offering phat cash to scientists willing to criticize the newly-released 2007 report on global warming released by the United Nations. Greenpeace, especially, has commented negatively on this development, although it may in fact lead to greater globalwarming awareness. Call it ‘link trolling’ for the scientific community.

Globalwarming expert Heidi Cullen went public last month, calling for the American Meteorological Society (AMS) to withhold Seals of Approval for Meterologists who refute the scientific evidence of global warming. As host of The Weather Channel’s ”The Climate Code,” Cullen has been a staunch advocate for globalwarming awareness throughout 2006, and looks to continue that trend into 2007.

In an interesting post released by the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works, Marc Morano further explores Cullen’s position, and discusses the ongoing and contentious feud between globalwarming skeptics and those who remain vocal about climate change, despite the stigma of being labled ‘climate alarmists’ by politicos such as himself. 

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune published a great article on explorer Will Steger, who is making global warming awareness a 2007 project. His work in this area is extremely interesting, because as an arctic explorer he has special awareness of global warming’s effects on polar regions.