Look at All These Celebrities Fighting Climate Change With Private Jets!
Latest
Illustration: Illustration: Elena Scotti (Photos: Getty Images, Shutterstock)
At the end of July, a fleet of private jets and luxury “super yachts” descended on Italy for Google Camp, a conference cum party to fight climate change. Guests in attendance—described as the brightest minds of our time—included billionaires and celebrities. I’d ask why we’d entrust the future of our planet to the companies and parties that profit from its destruction, but I think they gave themselves the job without asking. How stressful, taking on all that work by yourself!
Our pop culture landscape is overflowing with celebrities “speaking out.” For all their work, however, our planet’s environment has yet to escape its perilous future. These activist heroes also face an avalanche of criticism for the impact privately chartered aircrafts have on our atmosphere. (According to the New York Post’s calculations, Google Camp’s fleet of famouses dumped 784,000 kilograms of CO2 into the air.) To shoulder some of the burden, Jezebel has compiled the following list of prominent eco-warriors and the immense benefits private jets have afforded them in their fight against environmental catastrophe. It’s quite literally the least we could do!
Kendall Jenner
Last November, the supermodel documented a field of flowers that might someday cease to exist as water grows scarce and temperatures rise globally. She urged her followers: “Be nice to our planet.” While not invited to Google Camp, the contribution to the global movement was immense:
Due to her massive workload and efforts to save the human race from extinction, the supermodel has no choice but to rely on private aircrafts in her race against time itself. She embarked upon a transcontinental flight for her “surprise visit” as a guest of honor for a Tiffany’s store opening. Her and sister Kylie Jenner used one to get to and from the Met Gala. There was also the aircraft chartered by Kris Jenner for a “scavenger hunt” she’d planned for her cabal of influencers, and the one she boarded with Kylie Jenner to promote their Kendall + Kylie collection. Keep doing the good work, comrade!
Leonardo DiCaprio
At the 2017 Academy Awards, the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood actor demanded our lawmakers “stop procrastinating” on effective environmental policies. He also founded the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, which Lil Dicky thanked in the credits for his “Earth” video. Their website explains their mission: “We support projects around the world that build climate resiliency, protect vulnerable wildlife, and restore balance to threatened ecosystems and communities.”
In his early activist work, DiCaprio would utilize the speed and efficiency of private jets to accomplish his many good deeds. The good samaritans at the Daily Mail did an excellent job documenting the benefits of his transportation habits in 2015 after the Sony email hack revealed he’d flown from NYC to LA six times in six weeks. Unfortunately, critics who oppose the work he does for climate change were quick to criticize the supposed “carbon footprint” he created. DiCaprio acquiesced, flying commercial with Camila Morrone in January. (He was thankfully in attendance to share his expertise at Google Camp.)Katy Perry
The UNICEF Goodwill ambassador and noted California girl partnered with the organization for a special report on the devastation brought by climate change to children across the world. The red of her suit was a poignant reminder of the blood that would stain our hands if we chose to do nothing.
Bradley Cooper
Another Google Camp attendant, the Jackson Maine impersonator signed a letter in 2018 warning of the “global cataclysm” facing our civilization. He also won PETA’s prestigious “Oscat” this year, which I’m told is an award handed out to famous people who “promoted kindness to animals through storylines and/or the use of computer-generated imagery in place of live creatures on camera.” While his vacation in Italy certainly entailed day-long boating excursions with Oprah, he was also engaged in various humanitarian efforts. Saving Katy Perry from falling off a dinghy took priority among them! (The photos from the weekend were too expensive to aggregate here, but you can enjoy Daily Mail’s much larger budget here.)
Diane Von Furstenburg
The sustainability advocate, Google Camp attendee, and eco-friendly fashion designer made headlines last year when her company announced it had banned fur from its upcoming collections. Sandra Campos, DVF’s CEO, said in a statement:
“We are committed to supporting the shift to a more ethical and sustainable fashion industry by providing the consumer with innovative and sophisticated alternatives. Beginning with 2019, DVF will not incorporate the use of exotic skins, mohair, angora or fur.”
She also discussed the importance of a sustainability model with Elle, claiming:
“There’s too much of everything. There’s too much pollution.We need to make better clothes… You want to talk about sustainability? My [vintage] wrap dresses sell for the same amount in vintage stores that my [new] dresses sell for now, in the [department] stores. That’s a sustainable product!”
To spread this message worldwide, Furstenburg chartered a private jet to Africa with billionaire husband Barry Diller in January. One could also assume that she wished to see what animals looked like before they were hunted en masse for their naturally gorgeous coats:
Eco-warrior, sustainability advocate, and intrepid explorer? I can’t possibly imagine how our world would survive without her expertise:
Prince Harry
Arguably the most important comrade to attend Google Camp, the Duke of Sussex has long fought for environmental justice. In 2018, he visited the University of the South Pacific to deliver a speech about the university’s fight against climate change. He also opened up about his fears for the planet in an interview with Jane Goodall for British Vogue. Climate change is “terrifying” to the Prince, and he only wants one more child because of it.
He’s also said to have delivered a speech “barefoot” to the brilliant minds at Google Camp while camping out on a super yacht in the Palmero harbor. According to Page Six, his testimonial “covered the same material he talked about in his interview with British Vogue.” Understanding the Prince’s importance, Google allegedly flew him from London to Italy via a helicopter. This was not the only time private aircrafts carried the heroic royal across the European continent. The following weekend, he chartered a private plane to Ibiza with Meghan Markle and their son Archie for the Duchess’ birthday celebrations. Imagine if he was deprived of the fantastic mobility luxury airfare affords him—the environment might not survive!The convenience of luxury jets, as I’ve hopefully demonstrated, is integral to the endless fight for the future of our planet. And while the our bravest eco-warriors may face an avalanche of criticism for the supposed impact privately chartered aircrafts have on our atmosphere—to them I say: Godspeed, Kendall Jenner. Fly swift, Leonardo DiCaprio and Prince Harry. May the wind be ever at your back and under your wings, Diane Von Furstenberg and Katy Perry!