My recent article on the deception that is global warming, brought a handful of criticisms, even though my words were the result of a lot of research into what is happening. Nothing I said was my �opinion� � everything was based on what scientists say. Then, just yesterday, the founder of the Weather Channel, John Coleman, a prominent and respected meteorologist, openly told us that global warming is �an outrageous scam� and a �manufactured crisis� (One News Now, 14th November). 

So, what now of my supposed �rant�? It is not my aim to denigrate hotels that go green. My aim is to save them from acting foolishly by examining all sides of their business, and charging customers more without good business reason. I was also accused of being �political� and that this should never be allowed on a hotel site. I tackle that one later. Meanwhile, it is necessary for background to tell you what Coleman said.

He said he started to examine research papers on the subject, rather than media-induced hysteria (the type currently in vogue and what many individuals and businesses are convinced by). He said �The more I read them, the more doubt I had � and eventually the whole case just collapsed, when you really study the documents. It became very clear that it was a manufactured crisis.�

He says the science behind the crisis �has been manipulated�, and much of the data �has been manufactured�. This, he says, results in �bad science�. What a coincidence, that I also said the same thing before he did. Coleman says it was �unfortunate� that a peer review (alluding to a recent IPCC* activity) were accepted as law, and argues �the research passed that review only because of an underlying agenda held by scientists.� He says �they wish to strike fear of environmental catastrophe if people do not hold to their radical ideas.� (*Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change� funded by Al Gore�s pals. Surprised?)

In a blog posted on KUSI.com, he dismisses the fears by saying �the earth is not in peril�. He adds that �natural cycles in weather are more responsible for any climate change, and over the next two decades there is an equal chance for a cooling trend as there is for a warming trend.� Finally, he says that �once the dire predictions of global-warming scientists fail to pass, people will realise they have been duped.� (Source for above quotes: onenewsnow.com November 14th). But, meanwhile Gore can do an awful lot of damage to the economy and hotels, for no good reason.

I wrote my article before John Coleman said all this. John Coleman came to his conclusions by studying the relevant research papers as a scientist qualified in his field. Some have said I am not �qualified� to argue my case� but this is because they have no idea what my background is. Having taught research methodology to postgraduates, and after arguing the scientific process with physical scientists, I am able to spot fake research work a mile off. Like the UK judge, I don�t need to be qualified in a particular science, I only need facts and the capability to examine what is presented. This is the basis of �science� proper. Remember � I came to exactly the same conclusions as Coleman, who is qualified in the field of weather, etc. That proves my point. Global warming is a deception.

Now to the hotel business. 

Why discuss these things in an hotel publication? I already answered that one in my article, but perhaps I ought to expand on what I said, because so many people rely on what they read from scientists in the newspapers, and on superbly-made films by Al Gore, causing them to alter the hotel industry and vacationing worldwide. 

One of the most recent additions to warmist websites is SaveOurSnow.com, headed by Patrick Thorne, skiing journalist. Now, my critics will listen to what he says. Not because he is �qualified� but because he follows the trend. But how does he do it? By listing the supposed �eco-friendly skiing� and �greenness� aspect of more than 200 ski resorts.  Why is this significant? Because it panders to all who avidly want change to �green� as per Al Gore. What it means is that the green giant, who is growing bigger every day, is showing a very nasty side to his personality, bullying everyone into submission.

By working on the fears engendered by Gore, and basing what they think only on his outrageous film (which has been proved to contain lies and deception), individuals, hotels and resorts that are perceived not to be green enough will be avoided. In other words, by listing the �greenest� resorts, our friendly ski journalist will divert trade from countless resorts that give excellent quality, because they have not toed the green line. (I would be interested to hear from hotels and resorts that have suffered green bullying like this). This activity, of blacking non-greens, will increase. Even a blind man can see that.

Hotels, like all other businesses, watch what happens politically, and operate under national or local political rules. So it is absurd to say I should not speak �politically�. The UK government admitted that �green� policies in UK businesses and schools are driven by the agenda of one particular political theory. That is, socialism. It is the same theory behind all green agendas throughout the world. Look at what is being done and the way it is being enforced, and you will see good old socialism, the lifelong enemy of the USA.

Socialism works well for its leaders, not for those who are unfortunate enough to have nil-political clout. And that is what is happening in the hospitality industry. But behind hotel leaders who obey green demands is Al Gore and his pals, the ones who will reap a massive financial harvest when false greenery takes over.

There has been less snow at the Kitzbühel ski resort, so what did the New York Times (16th December 2006) tell us? Why, of course, it was caused by global warming, which it says is a �profound threat� to skiing! Add to this a view from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, that says �I wouldn�t invest in Kitzbühel�, and you have a great recipe for ruining many hotels and resorts in the region. I have been accused of �irresponsible journalism� by �hiding my head in the sand� on this issue. So, what do you call it when a leading newspaper says things like that? And, how on earth can it be said it has nothing to do with hotels, when we are talking about their very survival? And when non-green hotels are effectively being bullied into compliance, costing them a fortune?

And what do you call the actions of the Gaia Napa Valley Hotel and Spa, when, with overtly political motives (under a green banner) removes the Gideon Bible from its rooms and replaces it with a copy of �An Inconvenient Truth�? (Bloomberg.com April 27th). They have replaced God with a false God � Gore and global warming.

The Hotel has received the first California certificate from the US Green Building Council. They look at buildings and hotels to see if they are green enough. Again, we see the punitive side of the green giant � comply or you will not be included on the �in-list�! It is plain as day. How many smaller hotels and chains will be cast aside and lose money?

Yet, what the Gaia is doing is NOT �going green� at all. It is merely saving money, reducing waste and trying to eliminate chemicals. Must I repeat it? This is good management, not �going green�! I applaud their efforts in this respect, but not the language used. Just remove �green� and replace it with the far more commendable and honest �good management�.

One big-time hotel operator says it is �going green�, �because we have a social responsibility�and it also makes good business sense.� Now we are coming down to it. The whole reason for existence for an hotel is to make money. The tighter it makes its spending, the better will be its profits. Don�t bring in �social responsibility�! That is just a PR ploy. Hotels are in business to make a profit. And if it means being led by false science, that�s okay they think, so long as they don�t lose out.

Look at theenvironmentblog.org and you will see reports that green hotel businesses have soared as a result of Al Gore�s propaganda. Doesn�t that frighten all those hospitality providers who are unable to use their hard-earned profits to go green in compliance to false soothsayers? It should do, because they will find no-one will go to their hotels and resorts. They will all go to �greenified� places because they have been made fearful by bad data. And, green hotels tend not to use suppliers who have not yet become just as green. This is commercial bullying and business/ideological blackmail. Think it won�t matter? In the UK, when new over-the-top rules came out for nursing homes, a few thousands homes were forced into closure, because they could not comply. The costs were just too high. The same will happen in our green lands. Wait and see (or, better � fight it).

Already, more people are staying in their own countries rather than face the wrath of environmentalists who condemn air travel. (travelmole.com). Can�t these folks see that they can produce just as much carbon at home as they can abroad? And can�t green hotel chains see that they probably produce more carbon when building new �green� hotels than they do in a lifetime of not going green? And what about the hidden fact � that �green� is eliminating free speech, freedom of economic activity, and choice of energy use?

You still think this has nothing to do with hotels? In the UK a meddling influential �green� group soon hope to stop all imports of third world fruit and veg (and all done quietly away from public gaze). Why? Because they are brought in by air, which increases carbon emissions. But look closer � over 75% of all UK fruit and veg, vital for hotels, are imported! A sudden stop on imports will clear supermarkets and local shops of these products. 

The chain-reaction will lead to an attempt to increase provisions produced in the UK at a very inflated price. And this will be passed on to hotels. Therefore, the customer will pay more. Guess what is the hidden truth behind all this? The �green� group is linked to the UK producers and, guess what? The �carbon footprint� of UK growers is almost ten times greater than the carbon footprint of third world farmers and aviation emissions combined! 

Thus, UK farmers win, customers lose, and third world farmers, already on the brink of starvation, are crushed, and people die. And, on top of it all, there is no proof whatever that air travel causes global warming. Do hotels feel comfortable with that?

Some tried swiftly to blame the recent California forest fires on global warming. Oh dear! When they asked around the experts, even the environmentalist treehugger.com discovered that the number of fires is not linked to the temperature! And how many �warmists� ignored the claim that the fires were started deliberately anyway? The same website (26th May) quoting a scientist, said that most folks only read the media, and tend to grasp the hand of anyone who holds a similar viewpoint. True. That is how ordinary social discourse operates. But when it happens in a whole industry, it spells trouble.

This issue is essential, because politicians use the work of scientists and other academics. They have no idea if what they are being told is accurate or not. Yet, they will side with the one who has the same ideology and make policies on the strength of them. These are passed on in the taxation system, management guru sessions and shop-floor know-it-alls. In other words, politics drives those with big money, who care less about policies than they do about the bottom-line.

Politic.co.uk contains a forum for hotels. Wonder why? Amazon sells books on hotels and politics. In the UK, which is overrun by illegal immigrants, hotels are part of political moves to house them. A new book �Class Acts: Service and Inequality in Luxury Hotels� contains material on politics. And ingentaconnect.com refers to hotels as �sites of power� (quoted from The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 3rd Sept. 2007).

Oxford University held a conference on themes centred on design and politics. This is because, whether critics like it or not, all decisions about what we do can be labelled �political�. (3rd Annual Architectural Humanities Research Association international conference, Nov 2006). 

It is very naïve and short-sighted to ignore �politics� which is the very basis on which we act! Look at a simple definition of politics in Wikipedia: �Politics is the process by which people make decisions� (and) is observed in all human group interactions, including corporate�� It �consists of social relations involving authority or power� and the methods and tactics used to formulate and apply policy.� So, when directors of hotels formulate their policies, they are acting politically. Politics have everything to do with hotels and resorts!

So, don�t shoot the messenger! I passed-on what non-warmist scientists are saying, and I have looked at the bad research of pro-warmists. We must look beyond the media hype to find the truth. Al Gore is creating a super-maelstrom that will lead to disaster in our time, but big bucks for himself. And hotels are a big part of it, by complying. 

The answer is very simple � separate good management practices from �green�, and separate �green� from �saving the planet�, because they are all different entities. �Green� is to do with birds and flowers and how we use land. �Saving the planet� is a fairy-story, a myth that will cost us dearly in so many ways. The more lies we adopt, the worse become business ethics. And if you still think this has nothing to do with hotels, well, naivete can beat the best of people. There is no need to rely on what I say � I am nobody � just examine all the facts, instead of trying to silence critics, which is an activity of those who want compliance rather than truth. 

Anyway, don�t get me wrong - I am 100% behind hotels and resorts that use excellent management sense.  Come on, friends � truth is incompatible with lies. The trouble is, finding out which is which� and we don�t find out the answer by blocking genuine facts and statements! 

© Nov 2007. Barry Napier

Barry Napier
[email protected]