Former Vice President Al Gore is getting a lot of heat these days, and not just from the sun. (Besides, we're all getting more of the sun's heat as we can handle, as Gore's efforts to curb global warming have helped reveal.)

Conservatives are accusing Gore of profiting off of the very causes he's built his career on since leaving office in 2001. As a partner at a venture capital firm that invests in green energy innovators, Mr. Gore has developed a reputation among his supporters as a man who puts his money where his mouth is. But when one of those investments stands to receive more than $500 million in a new government grant for developing smart grids, some people see a conflict of interest.

In other words, is Al Gore using the green revolution he helped start to get rich?

If you think this is a new question, think again. People have been speculating about Gore's sincerity for years, and this latest development merely proves that whenever a man of great influence makes a difference, there will always be those who shout "Hypocrite! Sell-out! Liar!" from their rooftops.

Should Gore's wealth be our primary concern here? Why do people care? If his efforts are helping the environment and generating a profit, isn't that a win-win for everyone involved? If he continues to make money by investing in green energy, then others with capital will join him and create more green investment opportunities and jobs that benefit the global economy as well as global ecology. Isn't that a good thing?

[Image: Al Gore]