Inhofe dares Hollywood to take warming pledge

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A leading skeptic of global-warming science is challenging celebrity activists such as Al Gore and Sheryl Crow to lower their "carbon footprint" to the same level as the average American by Earth Day in April 2008.

"I simply believe that former Vice President Al Gore and his Hollywood friends who demand we change the way we live to avert this over-hyped 'crisis' not only talk the talk, but walk the walk," said Sen. James M. Inhofe, Oklahoma Republican.

"How hard is it for these elitists to become as frugal in their energy consumption as the average American? I think the American public has a right to know they are being had."

A so-called "Gore Pledge" was introduced last month when the former vice president appeared before a Senate committee to discuss his views on climate change. Mr. Inhofe asked Mr. Gore to sign the pledge to reduce his use of products that produce greenhouse gases, but he declined, instead citing alternative carbon trade-offs.

Mr. Gore says he pays a self-imposed "carbon tax" to offset the environmental impact of his large home and global travels.

Mr. Inhofe, the ranking Republican on the Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee, has long been an adversary of proponents for environmental legislation. Several of his previous comments, including referring to global warming as a "hoax" while chairman of the Senate committee in the last Congress, angered environmental activists.

Calls to the office of Sen. Barbara Boxer, California Democrat, who chairs the Environment and Public Works Committee, were not returned.

Mr. Inhofe, along with fellow Republican senators, has threatened to filibuster climate change legislation introduced by Mrs. Boxer.

Miss Crow has made headlines in recent weeks by traveling in a bio-diesel fueled bus during her recent concert tour in support of raising awareness about global climate change. During Saturday's annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner, Miss Crow and Laurie David, wife of "Seinfeld" co-creator Larry David, had a heated exchange with White House adviser Karl Rove about the issue.

"What science do they have? They cannot tolerate dissent," Inhofe spokesman Marc Morano said of the exchange during an appearance on the Fox News Channel yesterday.

Yesterday, the Web site thesmokinggun.com revealed that Miss Crow's tour caravan includes three tractor-trailer rigs, four buses and six cars.

In addition, Miss Crow was in the news yesterday for advocating limits on the use of toilet paper as a way of wiping out global warming.

"I propose a limitation be put on how many squares of toilet paper can be used in any one sitting," Miss Crow wrote on her blog. "Although my ideas are in the earliest stages of development, they are, in my mind, worth investigating."

In his letter, Mr. Inhofe also singled out other celebrity activists, including John Travolta, Leonardo DiCaprio and Madonna.