December 17th, 2007 · No Comments

By Harriet Blake

Nobel prize winner and former presidential candidate Al Gore came under fire earlier this year when a think tank accused him of having a home in Nashville that used 20 times as much electricity as the average household nationwide.

Drew Johnson, president of the Tennessee Center for Policy Research, said at the time, “As the spokesman of choice for the global warming movement, Al Gore has to be willing to walk the walk, not just talk the talk, when it comes to home energy use.”

This is no longer the case. The Gore family recently completed a green renovation of their Tennessee mansion, according to a report from the Associated Press this week.

The former Vice President has had all the home’s incandescent lights replaced with compact fluorescent bulbs, including those on his Christmas tree. He has put in solar panels, a rainwater-collection system and installed geothermal heating.

The house was given the second highest rating for sustainable design by the U.S. Green Building Council. The AP reported that these improvements cut the home’s summer electrical bill by 11 percent.

A Gore spokesman did not disclose how much the Gores spent on the renovations, but admitted that the family is fortunate to be able to afford the extensive repairs which might be financially out of reach for some Americans.

Utility records show the Gore family paid an average monthly electric bill of about $1,200 last year for its 10,000-square-foot home, according to AP reports.