Leading by Example: Carbon Footprint Edition

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a woman so passionate about the cause of global warming that she created a new select committee dedicated exclusively to addressing the issue, is making emissions-related headlines again today. It seems she is demanding formally requesting that the Air Force make one of its full-size passenger jets available to her for her personal travel convenience.

Coast-to-coast nonstop, courtesy of U.S. taxpayers: The only way to fly! 

She can’t travel commercial because of security reasons, of course, and the more modest plane Hastert used to use might not be able to make it from DC to San Francisco non-stop. It goes absolutely without saying that Madame Speaker does not do layovers. The Washington Times reports that in addition to herself, Pelosi is proposing that the plane also be used by “…other members of the congressional delegation, family members and her staff.”

Anyone know how many tons of CO2 are emitted by a Boeing 757 flying coast-to-coast? When making your calculations, remember that the plane contains the precious cargo of a few members of Congress, key congressional staff members and several of Nancy Pelosi’s grandchildren.