Not only an idiotic error, but, a basic waste of tax payer money (not that I am surprised Congress is wasting taxpayer money, whether the Dems or GOP is in charge)
A grade school metric system error cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars extra for the first purchase of carbon offsets for the House of Representatives’ “Greening of the Capitol” initiative, a program designed to counter greenhouse gas emissions created on the government campus.
Rather than buying the desired 30,000 short tons of emission offsets, the House bought 30,000 metric tons at an additional cost of $25,000, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released Friday.
The GAO report, which comes as Congress grapples over the high-finance of a $700 billion Wall Street bailout package, said the excessive purchase was “an administrative error” and noted that the Chicago Climate Exchange will hold the excess money and apply it to future offset purchases. A short ton weighs 2,000 pounds; a metric ton, defined as 1,000 kilograms, weighs 2,204.6 pounds. Â
Where was the oversight, Queen Nancy?
“In our rush to demonstrate our green bona fides, we failed to remember our number one mission — to safeguard the public’s money,” said Rep. Thomas M. Davis III, Virginia Republican and ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Rep. Davis forgets that in Liberal World, the “public’s money” is simply an allowance that Government allows people to have. The rest must go in the “college fund jar.”
The total carbon footprint of the House is estimated to be 91,000 short tons. Democrats hoped to reduce that to 34,000 tons by purchasing electricity generated from renewable resources, which was not done, and then reduce it further to 24,000 short tons by burning natural gas rather than coal and oil — also not done.
So, while the House overpaid for the carbon credits, it still did not reduce the size of its carbon footprint, the report said.
It’s the symbolism that counts. Sorta like Kyoto, and Climahysterics protesting, filling out petitions, reading the Kool aid material, attending rallies, then jumping in their SUVs to run home to their large homes.
What the hell are they doing spending our money on this sort of crap in the first place? Carbon offsets? Pure snake oil, is more like it.