Feet of CO2?

Does Al Gore have feet of CO2? Apparently, he and Tipper live in a 10,000 sq ft mansion that eats up lots of energy. According to the Tennessee Center for Policy Research:

"The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. In 2006, Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh—more than 20 times the national average. . . . Gore’s average monthly electric bill topped $1,359. . . .
Natural gas bills for Gore’s mansion and guest house averaged $1,080 per month last year."

Gore's response:
Vice President Gore’s office told ThinkProgress:
1) Gore’s family has taken numerous steps to reduce the carbon footprint of their private residence, including signing up for 100 percent green power through Green Power Switch, installing solar panels, and using compact fluorescent bulbs and other energy saving technology.
2) Gore has had a consistent position of purchasing carbon offsets {emphasis mine} to offset the family’s carbon footprint. Gore’s office explains: What Mr. Gore has asked is that every family calculate their carbon footprint and try to reduce it as much as possible. Once they have done so, he then advocates that they purchase offsets, as the Gore’s do, to bring their footprint down to zero.

I admire Al Gore for the work he's done on behalf of global warming and for his refusal to hide in a corner and pout after the Presidency was stolen from him. But I'm disappointed in his dependence on a lame scheme like carbon offsets to minimize his environmental footprint. All of these types of schemes, whether they're used by individuals or corporations or countries, are nothing more than the rich avoiding the hard facts and choices necessary to cut energy consumption. In Gore's defense, both he and his wife work out of their home and it's an older home that they're renovating. Presumably, when the renovation is complete, the house will be more energy efficient.
Now, let's take a look at the Tennessee Center for Policy Research. Founded by 24 year-old Drew Johnson in 2004, it is an obscure conservative think tank. Johnson began his career at the tender age of 22 at the American Enterprise Institute (aka the George Bush-Exxon Mobil Bedfellows Institute)! Who funds TCPR? I'm sure someone (i.e., some blogger) is looking into that even as I write.
In the meantime, Al, get that house updated and start saving energy!