Some call it hypocrisy at its peak with Starbucks introducing paper straws and cups for sustainability but its own CEO’s carbon footprint is going off the rails for daily commute. Where to draw the fine line in this never-ending climate debate New Delhi: Incoming Starbucks CEO, Brian Niccol, has caused controversy with his new job which would see him embarking on an extraordinary daily commute of 1,600 kilometres. The 50-year-old California resident will travel daily to Starbucks’s headquarters in Seattle.
According to Niccol’s employment agreement with Starbucks, he will use a corporate jet for this daily journey. A Starbucks spokesperson said, “Brian’s primary office and a majority of his time will be spent in our Seattle Support Center or out visiting partners and customers in our stores, roasteries, roasting facilities and offices around the world. His schedule will exceed the hybrid work guidelines and workplace expectations we have for all partners.
” Where to draw the line? This is not the first time that extensive usage of private jets by celebrities, big businessmen and even politicians has caused public uproar. While many of the people who frequent such travel publicly talk about the impending dangers of climate change, their personal conduct seems to be at odds with their stated ideologies. Celebrity and public scrutiny often go hand in hand, this sometimes is detrimental to the rich and famous but often also helps in showcasing their flaws and hypocrisy.
The huge carbon emissions incurred by excessive usage of private jets and other such ostentatious displays then does not bode well with normal citizens who have to put in excessive efforts in their everyday life to lessen their own carbon footprints. This hypocrisy hurts particularly more today when the fight against climate change is at its all time high. Today the extent of damage that climate change and global warming is wrecking on our natural habitat has become common knowledge and the effects it is causing are occurring in real time.
For the rich, famous and influential who are in possession of the luxury of travelling in private jets, the travails of climate change are surely known. For them to partake in this, often unnecessarily even for small distances, is what has become irksome. Perhaps the biggest flag bearer of this is Taylor Swift who symbolises this blatant disregard for climate fight by excessive use of private jets, like no other.
It was only recently that she threatened legal action against a 22-year-old college student who had been tracking her private jet usage on social media. The student denied the claims, saying that the information he is providing is in the public domain already. Nonetheless it is not just Swift but a plethora of others as well who have come under the scanner for this repeated disregard for climate change.
American actor Leonardo DiCaprio’s private jet rides, Bill Gates’s yachts, and recently even European Council President Charles Michel came under fire for excessive flying. On a per passenger basis, private jets pollute as much as 14 times more than their commercial counterparts. As the EU sets its sights on reducing emissions by 90 per cent by 2040, reportedly the number of private jet flights in Europe have risen by almost 65 per cent in 2022 alone.
Greenpeace reports that CO2 emissions from private flights more than doubled in the period, calling for a ban on private jets. The other side of the conversation also exists, with those in possession of private jets and those using them, defending their right to do so. From freedom of choice to need, many claim it is the importance of their work, in terms of both importance of money, that forces them to make use of such aviation.
While this might be correct to a certain extent, a line has to be drawn to ascertain what levels of indulgence into such behaviours is advisable. With time as the problem worsens, it may be needed that policy has to come into picture to restrict usage of private jets over a certain number. Seeing how pivotal it is to minimise carbon emissions, each and every contribution in the fight against climate counts.
The rich and famous should create the precedent and not destroy it, it is about time introspection occurs, and fast. (Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone. The opinions and facts in this article do not represent the stand of News9.
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