GorillaOffTopic, Everything But Gorilla Trades

Al Gore has long been a proponent of conservation and eco-awareness. And as we all know, it’s kind of his “thing.” He is “Mr. Environment” so to speak, and in being such, he himself, has a responsibility to practice what he preaches. Well, apparently many others agreed with this outlook and said so when they criticized him last year for his high electric bills at his Tennessee Mansion. To be fair, the mansion was being remodeled at the time, and Mr. Gore maintains that is the reason the bills were higher. It is an 80-year-old home that he was actually in the process of renovating. Well, whatever the case, Mr. Gore certainly has righted the wrong by completing an extensive remodeling of the home to meet, and well-exceed, Green Building standards, making the home one of the nation’s most environmentally friendly.

So you are probably wondering just exactly what the former Vice-President had to do to put his home in this elite group, right? Well, the Gorilla was curious as well so he checked it out for himself. To start, Mr. Gore had solar panels installed, a rainwater-collection system, and geothermal heating to boot, but that is not all he did. He also replaced all of the incandescent lighting with compact fluorescent or light-emitting diode bulbs, including the ones he put on his Christmas tree! The Gore’s improvements cut the home’s summer electrical consumption by 11% compared to a year ago, according to utility records reviewed by The Associated Press. “Short of tearing it down and staring anew, I don’t know how it could have been rated any higher,” said Kim Shinn of the U.S. Green Building Council, which gave the house its second-highest rating for sustainable design. Gore spokeswoman, Kalee Kreider, declined to say how much the couple spent on the improvements, but stated, “The Gores decided to take a series of steps over time that might be logistically or financially out of reach for many Americans. They were fortunate enough to have the ability to do so.”  She also commented that we can all make an effort, no matter how small, to cut energy whether it be changing a light bulb or installing solar panels.

The Gorilla could not agree more. We must all do our part. As for Gore…well Mr. Gore, you DID win the Nobel Peace Prize this year for your valiant efforts in raising awareness for the environment, so it only makes sense that you should, of course, have the most eco-friendly home in the U.S.! Way to go.