Al Gore: The Man For The Environment

Gore is a recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize award for his efforts in educating the public to the effects of global warming and climate change. He even released a documentary entitled "An Inconvenient Truth".

Personal Background

Gore is born to a family of political background, as his father was a U.S. Representative and Senator. His father represented Tennessee during his term in Congress. Gore's mother was a graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School, one of the first women to do so.

Following the footsteps of his father, Gore graduated from Harvard University with a B.A. in government in 1969. He even graduated with flying colors, finishing cum laude at the course. Just a year later, he married Mary Elizabeth Aitcheson with whom he has four children.

Like almost all young men in the United States at that time, Gore spent time in Vietnam as part of the 20th Engineer Brigade in Bien Hoa. Even though he opposed the war, Gore enlisted in the U.S. Army out of civic duty and said that serving in Vietnam exposed him to the South Vietnamese's desire to cling to their freedom, but failed to change his stance about war being a big mistake.

Gore's time in Vietnam discouraged him from taking a career in politics and, instead turned to journalism and divinity school after returning home from Vietnam. It would only be in 1976 would he embark on a political career, a decision which was a surprise even to himself. Gore also refused help from his father during his campaign.

Political Career

At the age of 28, Gore was elected as Congressman of Tennessee. As a congressman, he introduced the bill that would later on lead to the National Information Infrastructure and, subsequently, the Internet. He also tried to cease the United States' support for Saddam Hussein by cosponsoring the Prevention of Genocide Act of 1988 during his senatorial term, but he failed in this task.

Gore was picked by Bill Clinton to run as vice president during the 1992 presidential election. Both Clinton and Gore won the elections in 1992. Both were also re-elected in 1996. After Clinton's term ended, Gore decided to run as president opposite George W. Bush in 2000. Gore won the popularity vote, but in the end, Bush won the presidency. It was a decision that was supported by the U.S. Supreme Court, and a decision that Gore disagreed with. However, he conceded for the sake of "unity as a people and the strength of [the US'] democracy".

Environmental Efforts

Since the late 1970s, Gore has been making efforts regarding climate change and its effects to the environment. The Concord Monitor remarked that Gore grasped early the seriousness of the problem of climate change, and was one of the few to seek lower emission levels of carbon dioxide and other gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect.

Gore also appeared in a 2006 documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, in which he tries to bring forward evidence that the world is experiencing anthropogenic global warming. The film also tries to show people what would happen if the problem of global warming and climate change is not addressed with appropriate measures. The film won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

Gore's environmental efforts are not without criticism. The Tennessee Center for Policy Research has said that Gore consumes 12 to 20 times more electricity than the average family in his mansion. Since 2005, the group added, Gore's mansion has increased its electricity consumption. The MSNBC came to Gore's response, citing that the Gores merely increased their consumption their 50% due to the Green Power Switch, which costs a lot more for them.

The Associated Press published a story on December 13, 2007 that Gore has completed renovating his home in order to make it more energy efficient. Gore's mansion received the U.S. Green Building Council's second-highest rating. The TCPR again criticized Gore, accusing him of higher bills after his new technology was installed.

Gore also received criticisms for his purchase of carbon credits from Generation Investment Management, due to the fact that he is the Chairman of that company. Generation responded by stating that the company does not sell or develop carbon credits, but purchases them from third-party providers on behalf of its employees.

1. Prev:Four Rules Of Green Home Design
2. Next:Save Our Sky