Wednesday, May 23, 2007

DiCaprio bites back over eco 'hypocrisy'

I don't much care for hypocrites.

I don't care for hypocrites on the right like "Pastor" Ted Haggard, cheating on his wife with a middle-aged male hooker while tweakin' on meth procured with fraudulently obtained funds (sorry about that run-on, I wanted to get it all in one sentence) who tell people how to live their lives.

I don't care for hypocrites on the left like the Hollywood types who preach the green religion while leaving some of the biggest carbon footprints in the history of humankind.

Here's Haggard on climate change: The Rev. Ted Haggard, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, an umbrella group of 51 church denominations, said he had become passionate about global warming because of his experience scuba diving and observing the effects of rising ocean temperatures and pollution on coral reefs.

Talk about politics making strange bedfellows!

Here's Leonardo DiCaprio:
"When the British journalist followed up, saying that many stars used emission-heavy private jets while touting environmental protection, a testy DiCaprio countered that he had taken a commercial flight from New York."

"I try to travel commercial as much as I can..."

Spliced between the interviews are apocalyptic visions of gurgling volcanoes, massive mudslides and clubbed baby seals -- all set against images of America's insatiable consumerism.

DiCaprio said, despite the film's tone, he was optimistic about humanity's fate.

And more Leonardo: DiCaprio to polluters: go green now:

Unlike "An Inconvenient Truth" which focused in large part on Gore, "11th Hour," takes a scholarly look at the causes of the problem -- which some political leaders and scientists deny exists -- and what people can do to stop it.

I don't have a problem with Mr. DiCaprio taking a "scholarly look" (with volcanos?) even though he isn't a scientist; in fact didn't go to college. Hell, for all I know he's an autodidactic polymath, although if he was asked to define autodidact I'd wager he'd lean toward Haggard rather than self-taught. It's not even quotes like this: "I have installed solar panels in my house..." Leo, baby, they go on the house not in.

I do have a problem with "Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio has warned that humans face extinction because of global warming."

That's counterproductive and opens oneself up to ridicule. See: "Is this climate porn?: How does climate change communication affect our perceptions and behaviour?"
That's from the Tyndall Centre. Actual Climate Scientists. Not Laurie David at HuffPo blaming global warming for the Greensburg Kansas tornado. Climate Porn, the scientist called it.

It's not Jessica Seinfeld: "Did [Seinfeld] plan to reduce her own carbon footprint by selling off a few of her possessions?
'What I have and what I don't have is not something I talk about,' she said." (HT: "Gawker--daily Manhattan media news and gossip. Reporting live from the center of the universe.")

This is part two of three. I ended the last post with a reference to cannibalism. That wasn't the connector to this post. The connector was the comment that the Englishman who saw a chemtrail conspiracy and the Canadian who said we have to use our governments UFO knowledge were harmless.

What's potentially dangerous is the damage, apathy and ridicule that climate hypocrisy can cause when people blessed with a big megaphone don't walk the walk.

Did I get it back around to Haggard? Vote Here. Your vote counts!
Or maybe not. In the words of Kent Brockman:
"Decision '96; America flips a coin"