Guest essay by Eric Worrall

Back in April this year, WUWT reported on an unusual green attack on blatant celebrity eco-hypocrisy. Now this new green terror has gone mainstream, with rising groundswell of criticism, of celebrities whose vocal support for green causes is contradicted by their openly high carbon lifestyles.

According to the Daily Mail;

Green campaigner Madonna uses her private jet for 120 mile journey from Birmingham to London Driving would have taken almost three hours but a private jet took just over one. So it was a no-brainer for Madonna, who chartered her own airline for a trip home from a Birmingham concert to London last Wednesday, according to new reports in The Sun newspaper. The decision enraged environmental activists, as well as her loyal followers who accused the 57-year-old Unapologetic singer of being a ‘hypocrite’ for increasing her carbon footprint when she herself campaigns to help the climate crisis. The jet seats just 12 people and would have reportedly contributed 2.907tons of carbon emissions compared to 0.081 for a road vehicle at a cost of £20 petrol. ‘On her way to a global warming summit was she?‘ Asked on MailOnline commenter. ‘Like the rest of these celebs preaching hipocracy (sic).’ ‘Like the obnoxious hypocrite, Bono, “do as I say not as I do”,’ another said, while one former fan added: ‘She has never given her own hypocrisy a thought….Mad-donna….’ … In a bid to get influential stars to practise what they preach, climate change activists are trying to show that there are always alternatives to private jet travel. Friends Of The Earth’s David Powell told The Sun newspaper: ‘We want celebrities to turn their back on private planes and choose more sustainable forms of travel.‘

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3371562/Like-Virgin-Airways-Madonna-sparks-backlash-chartering-private-jet-just-120-miles-cost-10k.html

What is the solution to this dilemma? It is difficult to imagine superstars like Madonna, Bono and jet setting UN climate envoy Leonardo DiCaprio giving up the perks of their celebrity. Yet at the same time, how much CO2 do individuals, however profligate, actually release into the environment? And to be fair, the carbon footprints of even the most famous private individuals are dwarfed by the likes of President Obama, when he flies Air Force One to deliver climate speeches.

The solution might be more effort to appease outraged green sensibilities. Celebrities could surely mitigate any harm their individual lifestyle is causing, by donating more of their wealth to green causes, and by giving more of their time to raising the profile of green campaigns.

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