Climate Criminals And The Hypocrisy Of Climate Change

It was just last month that I heard that Canada is putting forward measures to ban the use of single-use plastics. As a result, local McDonald’s handed out hard-paper poutine box, wooden cutlery, and paper straws with my order. I love those cute wooden spoons and forks, and can certainly make do with the paper box. But the paper straw becomes mushy after some time, when you keep in dipped into your smoothie, which is totally annoying, if you ask me!

Why do we have to go through the pain of using fragile paper straws? Agreed, single use plastics do cause environmental damage. But won’t it be equally damaging when you switch from plastic to paper and wood? Imagine how many trees have to go under the axe, so that we can eat, drink, and then dispose after single use.

I came across the news about the controversy surrounding Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott’s photo, where they can be seen standing next to their private jet, obviously snapped before heading their way to a luxury vacation. Social media is outraged over this hypocrisy; common people being banned from consuming anything that seem to raise the sea levels, while the affluent bunch get to burn tonnes of fuel for their extravagance.

Remember the time when Indians were criticized for celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights? The argument was that the celebrations involve firecrackers, which cause carbon emissions. And given the population of India, which stands at 1.4 billion, the impact would be “unimaginable”. Why do they seem so keen in curbing the joy of ordinary people in the country, when its rich are using high-emission luxury vehicles and private jets on a daily basis? Are they turning a blind eye towards all that whale hunting and other harmful activities enjoyed by the billionaires around the world?

Climate Criminals

So who exactly are the “climate criminals”? They are the privileged few, including some of the celebs and jet-setters, who contribute the most in terms of carbon emissions, thereby aggravating climate change. You can count in those celebrities who own the so called “sustainable” and “environment-friendly” brands, but would flaunt their private jets that take them anywhere they want, at anytime they wish.

Paparazzis spotted Taylor Swift (American singer and songwriter) multiple times, walking out of her private jet, often hiding her face with her palm, after noticing she’s being watched. Gutsy, huh? It is said that she flew 170 times in her jet between January and July this year! There’s also been reports of celebrities like Drake, Kim Kardashian, Oprah Winfrey, etc. trotting around the globe on their personal aircrafts.

Climate Change: Hypocrisy Or Collective Effort?

Boards have been popping up around venues, demanding hefty fines on the usage of single-use plastics. The real question should be, why are the common public being kept away from having fun and luxury in the name of climate change and environmental conservation, while the elites get to lavishly splurge on activities that involve higher carbon emissions?

Is money causing this difference, or is it due to the indifference of the climate change activists and governments? What do you say about this, Greta Thunberg? As usual, nothing!

Talk about the irresponsibility of the rich, and they throw at you fancy terms like, sustainability, recycling, bio-degradable, ethically-sourced, etc. Even those celebrities, who can’t travel without using their personal jets, will lecture to you about climate change, while prompting you to shop at their “sustainable” brands, shelved with overpriced goods in flimsy packaging…

Plastic, often termed the culprit in causing environmental damage, comes across as cheap and sturdy. People (you,me, and everyone except those celebs) commonly used plastics in our daily lives, which is sturdy, while keeping the costs low. While it is a know fact that plastics are non-biodegradable, and burning them can cause icebergs to melt, is it worth replacing them with something like, say, wood? Need I tell more about cutting trees?

Just like how forests are being destroyed for the sake of bio-degradation, climate change is also affected by sustainable fashion. Manufactured by keeping carbon-neutrality in mind, sustainable clothing wears out quickly, and is meant to be thrown away after short-term use. It is still controversial as it generates more waste, as well as high carbon-emissions during its manufacturing, transportation (“fast fashion), etc. This is one of the many examples of hypocrisy of the climate crisis phenomenon.

Why is it that elites get to contribute so much towards climate change, in the expense of the common folk? Haven’t the raging climate activists noticed this while shoving sustainability into our faces, or are they just choosing to ignore it?

I get it. They say life isn’t fair, and that money is power, and they’re absolutely right! I glance at Kylie on Instagram, proudly posing near her private jet, up and ready to head to a great vacation, meanwhile I, on the other hand, is fretting about the mushy paper straw, soaked in my cold smoothie…