Arnold's (green) Jacuzzi

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a champion of cracking down on global warming emissions, is also renowned for driving Hummers and flying his private jet. In a speech Wednesday to hundreds of delegates gathered for a "Global Climate Summit" in Los Angeles, the former movie star explained why his luxurious lifestyle doesn't mean he's not personally green. A transcript:

In California we have been adopting green policies as fast as we can develop them, because we know this is the only way to go and that's how we can inspire the creation of new technology, which I think will save us all.

It's all about technology, because we all know that the guilt trip that we have put on people has not worked, to tell them that they should not use the Jacuzzi, or the big, large plasma TV, or to drive with a big SUV, a Hummer or something like that. (Laughter)

Or to fly with a plane.

All of those things did not work because the fact of the matter is the people should use a big television set -- but it should be powered by solar.

They should go and sit in the Jacuzzi, in the biggest Jacuzzi in the world -- but it should be powered by solar.

They should fly their airplane whenever they want -- but it should have maybe a different kind of designed engine so we don't use fossil fuel.

Or they should go and stay in their SUVs and in their Hummers -- but maybe have that Hummer be powered by electric motors or something like that. So it's technology that really needs to be changing, not that we're driving a car or taking a Jacuzzi or any of those things.

God forbid we would stop the Jacuzzi. (Laughter)

-- Margot Roosevelt

Photo: Schwarzenegger's fondness for Hummers goes way back: In 2001, in New York, he poses to give thumbs up at the world premiere of the H2 Sport Utility Truck. Credit: Peter Morgan / Reuters

Comments

[Barry]

Electric cars would cost the equilalent of 60 cents a gallon to charge and drive. The electricity could be generated from solar or wind sources.Fossil fuels are finite. We are using oil at twice the rate we are discovering new oil. We need to get on about the business of becoming energy independent and using alternative sources of fuel. The high cost of gas this past year seriously damaged our economy and society. While we are doing the happy dance around the lower prices at the pumps OPEC is planning further production cuts to drive prices back up. We have the knowledge, we have the technology, what America lacks is a plan. Jeff Wilson has a new book out that is beyond awesome. The Manhattan Project of 2009 Energy Independence NOW. He walks you through every aspect of oil, what it is used for besides gas, our depletion of it. The worlds increased need ie 3rd world countries becoming more modernized and consuming more. He explains EVERY alternative energy source and what role they can play to replace oil. His research is backed up with hard data and even includes a time frame and proposed legislative agendas to wean America off oil. www.themanhattanprojectof2009.com

[sheila]

ok, so is there still a single, solitary person out there who is fooled by this gluttonous Big Energy shill's "greenie" costume? he holds press event after conference, gives speech after speech, holds event after event in public, blabbing endlessly (and ineloquently) about how amazing and eco he is, while vetoing every green bill that crosses his desk, advocating for killing our open spaces with Big Solar and Big Wind, and crippling the efforts of those of us who believe that WE THE PEOPLE should be encouraged to own our own generation facilities, and should be conserving, not wasting resources and exploiting the planet. grandstanding does not bring results. it just brings mindless adulation. as an actor, he is very clear on this dynamic, and fully exploits the idiots who believe everything they read/hear/see in the media.

he is gross, wasteful, unintelligent and totally wrong. he has fought, tooth and nail against the environment, but at least he is ripping off taxpayers and ratepayers and propping up Big Energy, Big Developers and Big Business, which is what he came to do. wake up!