Climate hypocrites are all tell, no show

Data from ADS-B Exchange, for example, show that director and climate activist Steven Spielberg had burned at least $116,000 worth of jet fuel in 2 months on his private jet, which represents an emission of 179 tons of carbon dioxide. If extended over the course of a year, that consumption alone represents 66 times the carbon footprint of the average American, and that’s before counting any driving or electricity use by Spielberg. (Guess what — his house is probably a lot bigger and more electricity-hungry than yours.)

But we don’t mean to single out the famous director. He is in very good company, along with Prince Charles, Bill Gates, Kylie Jenner, Drake, and many, many others.

Taylor Swift turns out to be the queen of carbon pollution — her documented use of jet fuel in the first seven months of this year, according to the U.K.-based organization Yard, emitted 8,293 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. That implies an annual carbon footprint almost 900 times that of the average American. That’s just her jet use, not even counting anything else she does. Oh, and by the way, she wasn’t even on tour during that period!

John Kerry’s jet has only emitted about 20 times the average American’s annual climate footprint — and in fairness, that took him about 18 months. Kerry is Biden’s climate envoy. He is a very important person. He needs a private jet to go overseas to receive important climate awards for being such a great champion of, you know, the climate.

And at least Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis sort of tried. They have been spotted driving around in a new 2022 electric Hummer. Too bad that massive battery-powered vehicle, on average, causes more carbon emissions per mile than almost any gasoline-powered passenger car on the market.

It’s almost enough to make you think these people do not believe a word they say about climate change.

Which brings us to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s new climate proposal in California. The editors of the Los Angeles Times are practically drooling over Newsom’s proposal for more ambitious climate goals. He wants to change the 2030 goal from 40% below 1990 emissions levels, to 55% below 1990 levels. Never mind that the state isn’t even coming close to meeting the 40% goal. Somehow, bigger promises make up for the lack of actual emission reductions. If California Democrats were your parents, they’d skip your school play and then make up for it by promising you a pony that they’d never buy.

Politicians and celebrities may not walk the walk, but they are dead serious about you sacrificing your lifestyle. Think of Saint Augustine, who famously characterized his own cavalier attitude toward sin during his youth with the wry faux-prayer, “Give me chastity, Lord — but not yet.” The prayer of the climate preacher seems to be, “Give chastity to everyone else, Lord — but not to me!”

Fortunately, you can ignore the performative virtue-signaling of these preening narcissists — both the politicians and the celebrities. The solutions to carbon emissions are already with us. If the planet is really in peril, then it’s worth keeping all those dams and nuclear reactors in operation, and building new ones besides. Even a carbon-spewing electric Hummer becomes green if it’s powered by good old nuclear. And fusion reactors are on the horizon, too.

Meanwhile, you are already doing far more to save the planet than Gavin Newsom, Taylor Swift, and John Kerry combined, just by leading a modest, ordinary life. Pat yourself on the back. And if that’s not enough for you, go plant a tree.