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Free Exchange on Al Gore’s Carbon Offsets and Papal Indulgences
One of The Economist.com's bloggers opines:
THE meme starting the rounds of the conservative half off the blogosphere—ironically, one ripped off from the far left—is that Al Gore's carbon offsets are the equivalent of papal indulgences.
That doesn't strike me as a particularly compelling argument. Assuming that indulgences actually worked, which seems very unlikely, poor people unable to afford them ended up burning in hell for eternity. On the other hand, poor people unable to purchase carbon offsets end up . . . using just as much electricity as they would otherwise. ...
Before deciding The Economist decides whether a particular theological principle actually works or not, it might be helpful if they understood the principle. The Catholic Encyclopedia explains:
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Well, given the amount of atheism on the left, the closest thing to hell a lot of environmentalists (or the pseudo “feel-good” environmentalists) have is the scorn of their peers and the possibility of being singled out as a “waster” by their peer group.
By buying carbon offsets, they atone for the sins of driving SUV’s and 7 series bmws, using too much electricity, having a 5 bedroom house (when they could get by with a 2 bedroom), and participating in the industrial corn-fed food chain. They get to feel green even though they really aren’t and it gives them something to talk about at the next dinner party.
In this respect, carbon offsets are a lot like indulgences, only they are indulgences of the conscience, instead of the spiritual. Can’t stomach real green? Pay up or you’re one of the bad guys and you are going to environmentalist hell.
I could go on about the green farce, but that would be OT 8). I have nothing against real environmentalists, just the gas-pig driving posers that think they are better than everyone else and are, in some cases, worse than people that don’t even care.
If you are going to drive an SUV 30-60 miles each way to work every day, take your lumps. You aren’t kidding anyone.
I’d love to see Al Gore’s vehicle line up. That would tell the real story. Last I heard he drives an Escalade and his wife has a cherry ‘65 mustang… Now that’s an inconvenient truth.
However, it’s ok, he buys carbon offsets!
Do something real; drive a fuel efficient car, upgrade your furnace, get new windows, and create less carbon. Then, if you feel the need to take it further, buy offsets.
Once you are doing all of this, you have a right to talk to people about environmental issues. Al Gore has done _NOTHING_ besides be the person that points out everyone elses flaws. That’s easy. I can do it.
To me someone who buys offsets is like a guy that does something wrong, knows it’s wrong, willfully does it anyway, then apologizes and thinks the apology makes it all better, then turns around and does it again. It’s not ok, it’s asinine and not only that, it gets real old, real fast.
Carbon offsets are definitely the environmental version of indulgences and the fad of the month. It smacks me right in the face it’s so obvious.
-Neil