Eco-Socialites

The New York Times provides some unintentional humor as it tries to convince us that the Manhattan socialites are all a-twitter about conservation. Of course, buried toward the end, the article states that regarding the organizer, one Sloan Barnett, who serves as a reporter for a San Jose TV station, but who is a married to a multi-millionaire,

Still, she has no plans to reduce the family’s significant carbon footprint by, say, selling the Manhattan second home. “I’m not a perfect person,” she said. “I’m not the greenest woman in America.” And there was scant indication that other guests, most of whom, presumably, knew their way up the steps of a private jet, were contemplating major lifestyle cutbacks. Glancing about the room, Ms. Barnett said, “We aren’t all going to move to one-bedroom apartments.

Ms. Rockefeller wanted four kits, one as a gift to her housekeeper. “I want to spread the word,” she said.

She plans to practice conservation, to a point. Energy-saving light bulbs are fine — for the utility closet, perhaps. In other rooms, “they don’t give a very pretty light,” she said.

Uh-huh. As Glenn Reynolds says "That's for the little people."

I tell you what, Ms. Barnett and Ms. Rockefeller. When I see you get rid of your housekeepers and actually do your own cleaning, when you and your oh-so-posh friends actually have to understand saving money and do everyday work like the rest of us, or when you sell off a few of your vacation homes, private jets, chauffer-driven limousines or your large yachts, I might take your comments on conservation seriously. Until then, keep your inane comments to yourself.

Hat tip to Glenn Reynolds.