Baby steps.

In the year since Al Gore took steps to make his home more energy-efficient, the former Vice President’s home energy use surged more than 10%, according to the Tennessee Center for Policy Research…

In the past year, Gore’s home burned through 213,210 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity, enough to power 232 average American households for a month…

After the Tennessee Center for Policy Research exposed Gore’s massive home energy use [in February 2007], the former Vice President scurried to make his home more energy-efficient. Despite adding solar panels, installing a geothermal system, replacing existing light bulbs with more efficient models, and overhauling the home’s windows and ductwork, Gore now consumes more electricity than before the “green” overhaul.

Since taking steps to make his home more environmentally-friendly last June, Gore devours an average of 17,768 kWh per month – 1,638 kWh more energy per month than before the renovations – at a cost of $16,533. By comparison, the average American household consumes 11,040 kWh in an entire year, according to the Energy Information Administration.

Here’s the February ’07 report, which claimed he averaged 16,200 kWh per month in 2005 and 18,400(!) kWh per month in 2006 — in which case, I’m not sure how his current average of 17,700+ represents a 10% increase. Did he have a precipitous drop-off in energy use between the end of 2006 and June 2007, before the new renovations? It’s important to be accurate in these things or else we’re left to wonder if he’s using enough juice to power a medium-sized town or just a small one.

Exit question: His carbon footprint’s bound to have increased too; anyone know where he can buy some extra offsets? Deceiver does!