In the last couple of weeks, much ado has been made of Al Gore’s “inconvenient” utility bills. Dug up by a local free-market group, the bills reveal that Gore’s Nashville home uses about 20 times more juice than the national average. “Hypocrite!,” the neo-cons decried. They say that the global warming crusader isn’t, “living the lifestyle that he advocates.”

Such criticisms are the oldest smear tactic in the book. Can’t argue your opponent’s position – undermine his credibility.

Familiar with such red herrings, a member of the Gore Camp responded, "I think what you're seeing here is the last gasp of the global warming skeptics. They've completely lost the debate on the issue so now they're just attacking their most effective opponent."

The problem is a lot of people actually buy into this crap. And so Gore’s people and other greenies become drawn into a defense of their records. Suddenly, we’re engrossed in a line item debate on a utility bill, thinking, “how the hell did we get here?”

I know because I’ve experienced the same thing personally. I’ve mentioned, say, supporting the development of renewable energy sources, and some of my own friends have said, but… you heat your house with oil, don’t you?”

Wha!?! When else do you hear such disputations?

“I support the Iraq War.”
But…you’re not in the military.

“I support ending the genocide in Darfur.”
But…you’ve never been to Africa.

Of course not! Preposterous.

Life uses energy. Lights, computers, cars… all of these things are realities. Gore isn’t telling people to stop using energy and –essentially– stop living. He’s trying to change the current paradigm of ‘industry v. environment’ and create a society where energy use doesn’t equal irreparable environmental destruction.

But the most disturbing part of this bunk is how often greenies themselves fall for it.

Even worse, they take the argument out to its deluded conclusion that if you care about the environment, you can have no environmental impact whatsoever.

Where does that leave earth lovers? Setting up house off the grid somewhere, growing their own food, making their own clothes, and living by candlelight.

Where does that leave Big Oil? Happy as clams with all of their opponents out in the woods and out of commission - exactly where they want them.

If we had “no impact” on the earth, then we would have “NO IMPACT” on anything – period. And that’s why pro-industry forces come up with this propaganda in the first place.

So don’t fall for it!!

Personal choices are important, but they are NOWHERE near as impactful as societal changes. I could have a hybrid and drive it from today until the day I die. The CO2 emissions that I would save from doing so would still pale in comparison to those saved from one law that mandated all cars be manufactured as hybrids.