PrintNovember 27, 2007
Gore pal's eco-warrior ship deposits big carbon footprint in sensitive Antarctic waters
Judi McLeod of Canada Free Press has the scoop on information the MSM is desperate to avoid reporting. It seems that a friend Al Gore in the business of taking wealthy eco-warriors on tours uses a ship (at this point, a former ship) with a history of inspection problems, and that ship sank last Friday, depositing quite a carbon footprint at the bottom of the ocean.
G.A.P. Adventures CEO and Explorer owner, Bruce Poon Tip and Gore have similar ideals, "filling their schedules with speaking engagements on environmental change to educate global audiences." And that's straight off of http://www.gapadventures.com/. In fact, as recently as last April, both Poon Tip and Gore gave presentations at the Green Living Show in Toronto."I expressed my admiration for Mr. Gore's commitment and leadership which spans more than 20 years," commented Poon Tip. "I also invited him aboard our legendary polar expedition ship, the MS Explorer to visit the Arctic."The legendary polar expedition ship..."had at least five faults at its last inspection," according to Greenpeace spokeswoman Bunny McDiarmid. "Maritime records show the MV Explorer has completed more than 40 cruises to the ice, but has lately been suffering maintenance and safety problems."Maintenance and safety problems never kept the MS Explorer from setting out for the Antarctica two weeks ago.Good thing Gore was otherwise occupied when 154 passengers and crew had to be rescued at sea when their eco-cruise ship struck ice in the Antarctic Ocean and started to sink early Friday morning. (None of the eco warriors aboard MS Explorer were identified in weekend media coverage).
This looks like another case of wealthy and connected people exempting themselves from the sort of strictures they would impose on everyone else, much like the private jet-flying elites who will be unable to find parking spots for their luxury birds at Denpassar Airport in Bali when the UN climate change summit is held at a luxury resort there. They will be spewing carbon when ferried to alternative airports (not to mention all the carbon burned flying in from New York, Hollywood, Geneva, and other spots.
It all fits together perfectly once you realize that these wealthy and connected people have no intention of giving up anything personally, while demanding that the rest of us sacrifice jobs, cars, and personal comfort in pursuit of their goal of theorectical ecological redemption.
How much heavy fuel oil do you suppose was on the late MV Explorer? What will that do to the wildlife? I am not holding my breath waiting for pictures of oil stained penguins to appear in the media.
Hat tip: Jack Kemp (not the politician)
