Well we had Sir Paul here. A self-proclaimed environmentalist. In the short time he was here, he arrived via a private jet, ran around in a large SUV (complete with police escort), and the power needed to run the sound system and lights probably could have powered an average house for a year.
Then there’s Al Gore, like Paul jetsetting about, complete with a Secret Service escort (yup all living ex prez’ and vps get one).
And our own David Suzuki. Travelling, albeit no escorts. I guess they never heard of the internet to conduct lectures.
Not to mention their private homes, etc.
Now I don’t care if you’re an environmentalist, more power to you. But don’t go spouting gloom and doom, telling us to use less, etc, when you cause more damage/carbon footprint in one day than most of us slobs out here do in one year.
—Hypocrites Get On My One Last Nerve
This article appears in Jul 9-15, 2009.
FWIW, Suzuki has announced that he will never fly again.
I’m not sure what you expect the guy to do – stop putting on concerts? The stage show comes as part of what he does as a performer. And for all you know if he didn’t use SUV’s he’d need twice as many smaller cars. Finally, I invite you to use commercial air if you’re trying to put on a shitload of concerts on after the other; I don’t begrudge the guy using a private jet at all.
Unless you believe that average slobs like you and me are taking our environmental cues from superstars like McCartney I suggest we’ve got bigger problems with environmentalism and hypocrisy, and it starts with us peons. I’m rather more concerned with all the twats that build large R2000 homes in new subdivisions, race around every weekend with their hybrid cars to go white-water kayaking or running, and make sure that while they don’t stint on furniture and toys that at least all of it is “Green”. Those people are the real problems.
“Not to mention their private homes”??
Are you shiiting on them for being homeowners? I don’t understand this comment. Would they be better environmentalists if they lived in “public” homes?
I doubt it’s possible to be in favour of anything without in some way being a bit of a hypocrite. It’s hard to 100% pure anything. I can’t think of any examples where anyone has accomplished this.
As an aside, the best thing you can do for the environment – from a personal waste initiative – is kill yourself (stops you from consuming and have off-spring). I’m sure, though, all the environmentalits you mentioned, do more for the global consciousness by not offing themselves and choosing to educate instead, even if the act results in waste in itself.
“I doubt it’s possible to be in favour of anything without in some way being a bit of a hypocrite. It’s hard to 100% pure anything. “
That’s right. And of course we should try, individually, to do what we can.
But really, the solutions to environmental problems are systematic, not personal. You can replace all the lights you want with the twirly lights, but those four Nova Scotian coal-fired power plants will dwarf your efforts.
Your efforts are best placed politically.
If you want to split hairs, OP, every single human being on the planet with audacity enough to actually exhale is polluting the environment.
I don’t care how much power, resources or whatever one uses, but for the love of Pete, do not tell others what to do when you don’t do it yourself.
To tell someone to drive a smart car, reduce flying, while going around in a gas eating SUV and private jets is just plain hypocritical. Do not call yourself an Environmentalist.
I guess David stopped flying when people called him on it. Wonder how long that will last.
Couple years ago or so there was this initiative to have celebs share private jets in an attempt to help “save the environment”….many celebs agreed, but you know who REFUSED to share his private jet?
Al Gore.
Figure that one out.
I’d just like to add though: a cow emits more “pollution” into the air (methane gas) than a car….so….there’s THAT.
Pretty Kitty, a cow might emit more methane than a car, but methane is a fairly minor greenhouse gas. Worldwide, motorized vehicles definitely chug more CO2 (which is a much more significant GHG than methane) into the air than cow farts.
until cows start driving cars cows are allowed to produce methane… in my world anyway (I wuv cows)
i hate these environmental bitches.
I said it before I will say it agian!
Fuck the environment
If it makes you feel any better OP, I shuttled people home from the concert in a bus with a large ad for chicken.
Really, Police Escort?
What the hell do you expect him to use, a crappy taxi or the airport bus ? Walk ? Jog ? Stand on Robie and stick a thumb up and hold a sign ‘I need to get to New York’.
I’ll take Sir Paul over Suzuki, the entertainer is better than the preacher.
Randomness, yup one patrol car and three motorcycles all with lights and sirens going. Guess he and his three mil couldn’t get out of here fast enough.
Vini, Vidi Vichi – he came, he saw, he conquered – most agree the concert was tremendous, in the overall scheme of things how big a deal is a 100 kmh trip in an SUV with HRM’s finest tagging along?
He’s probably brought more pleasure to more people over the years than half the ones whining about his environmental recklessness.
My Latin is rusty so if I misspelled it – my apologies.
What would have been wrong with Paul Mccartney taking a taxi or the Airport Shuttle service? He’s just another human being, albeit with a great singing voice, but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t have to live like the rest of us in facing the environmental crises this world is in. Practice what you preach, that’s what I have to say to him. And it’s not about who is more entertaining, McCartney or David Suzuki, it is about who actually sticks to the principles that they stand for. And while it’s nice Mccartney is a vegetarian(a very healthy choice indeed) but did he really need his own private kitchen for himself and his people. (no I’m not talking about the local crew, they got their food in a separate space) Do you know how much power that took? And he brought so much of the equipment for his show from the States and didn’t rent it from here, another environmental no-no! (yes, one or two things couldn’t have been provided here but most could have, with no shipping or transport needed) How do you justify that? I love his music, and it is great he can share that gift with the world, but he doesn’t get to claim to be an environmentalist and then act like the world’s worst polluter instead. For shame , Sir Paul, for shame!
Ya Mel, he should just act normal and blend in, sort of like John did eh? Bang, bang, bang.
Really Jane? Fuck the environment?
Well, I’m just fucking speechless.
Betcha that won’t last long!
It’s ok Dino, in the future we’ll all live in plastic bubbles with rocket packs attached to them.
THERE IS NO FUTURE FOR YOU earthlings!
You are too stupid!!!
That’s rich coming from someone who ended a sentence with four whole exclamation points!
I rest my case!!
Oh…..nice going Nice Going Fat! You just had to count wrong and prove the little fucker’s point. If martians invade us, your being held responsible! That was fucking hideous!
Don’t you mean “case closed”?
I said “four WHOLE”; you can add up the exclamation points in both sentences.
😉
Like a “No Homers” Club thing…
No, that’s for the judge to say; I was making an argument, you made it unnecessary to continue the argument with your poor stupid counting ability comment.
While your enrolling in that math class, sign up for a few basic law courses, earthling!!!
You must be an MBA candidate…
Wow, I think the both of you just proved Sid’s point by typing four comments arguing about exclamation points.
Pfft, hardly. My comments were mainly figure-of-speech. Ask Lionel Hutz.
I couldn’t resist the irony.
I ought’a smack you…..
*cowers in fear*
*scrambles under bed*
ooh, let me think of another one…
*break dances under strobe lights*
(;
hold on, i got a disco ball *plugs it in*
*joins Dinosaur Junior*