Jetsetters Pave, er, Save the Planet

Oh, I feel so relieved. For a moment there I almost thought that there was an issue with climate change, global warming, and catastrophic weather change. But given the number of "Live Earth" concerts that are going off, apparently all is well. I come to this conclusion by the simple logic that if things were really, really horrible, the concert participants -- good little stewards of the world that they are -- wouldn't be barfing so much carbon into the air as they go about lecturing the rest of us. With song.

I don't give a fig about "carbon offsets" and being "green". My lifestyle is more green than any of those involved in this fiasco; every Greenpeace test I take tells me so. That's irrelevant, however. The problem with carbon offsets is that they don't address what is purported to be the issue, i.e., pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. That you can offset this by purchasing an indulgence from someone else misses the point. You're still dumping the stuff into the atmosphere, which the harpies say is bad, bad, bad, get it!?!

The Goreacle's home electrical bill is higher than the average American pays in a couple of years, yet he pleads "green" because he can pay someone else to assume the punishment for his carbon sins. Everyone involved in this entire Live Earth fiasco behaves the same way. They zoom about in their private jets, limos, buses, trucks, and cars (oh my) and scream, "Green!" because somewhere someone else is paying the price for their fun in the sun.

It's a corrupt system built for hypocrites. If the problem is that humans are dumping too many greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than the solution is to reduce the dump. This is what they scream. Hell, that will be the message on endless parade during the concert(s). The entire affair will involve a small circle of elitists lecturing us, the great unwashed, on how we should behave. We must reduce our carbon footprint so they can fly with Gulfstream pride.

These same saviors of the planet dismiss any suggestion about adaptation. If I take everything they say as true, then the change is upon us; the disaster has happened, we'd better get used to it. If Kyoto were fully implemented it might have an effect in 50+ years, and more likely wouldn't make a difference until 2100 (assuming Kyoto becomes the norm, rather than -- as currently written -- expiring in 2012). In the meanwhile...?

And I haven't even gotten into the hubris these righteous folk display in declaring that the weather they grew up with, that they enjoyed last week, is how it must be and ever shall remain.

For some strange reason, I grew up learning the notion that the weather changes, that the planetary climate is always in a state of change. I never expected that how it was when I was a lad was how it would be today. Somehow I remember all the lectures about the "little ice age" and solar variances and how the planet was sweltering hot at times in the past and frozen solid at others, and that our planet would continue to change until the day our sun swells up, cooks us, and dies of boredom. It was and is a given that we must adapt to the planet.

Now we have these enlightened souls who declare that we have altered the planet and that we have the power to alter it back. What a quaint notion. Never mind that the cost (both in terms of lives lost and money spent) for "correcting" the "problem" is greater than the cost (both in terms of lives lost and money spent) imposed by the "problem". And heaven forfend if we should discuss adaptation rather than offsets.

Meanwhile, their actions belie their words. Have a great concert, hypocrites!

UPDATE:

Courtesy of the Brits...

A Daily Mail investigation has revealed that far from saving the planet, the extravaganza will generate a huge fuel bill, acres of garbage, thousands of tonnes of carbon emissions, and a mileage total equal to the movement of an army.

The most conservative assessment of the flights being taken by its superstars is that they are flying an extraordinary 222,623.63 miles between them to get to the various concerts - nearly nine times the circumference of the world. The true environmental cost, as they transport their technicians, dancers and support staff, is likely to be far higher.

The total carbon footprint of the event, taking into account the artists' and spectators' travel to the concert, and the energy consumption on the day, is likely to be at least 31,500 tonnes of carbon emissions, according to John Buckley of Carbonfootprint.com, who specialises in such calculations.

Throw in the television audience and it comes to a staggering 74,500 tonnes. In comparison, the average Briton produces ten tonnes in a year.

Hey, hey, hey, their intentions are good. They just have an issue practicing what they preach is all.

(HT: Hot Air.)