Leonardo DiCaprio recently spoke out about climate change to the public: “… we know that the climate youth movement is more important and crucial than at any time in human history.” While DiCaprio gave this very moving speech about today’s youth speaking up about climate change, it’s important to note that DiCaprio was speaking from his private jet.
Honestly, it’s as if DiCaprio decided, “Eh, I spoke out. I did my part. These younger folks can handle climate change. I’m using my private jet for vacation. What’s the damage of one jet in the friendly skies?!” Uh, try again, Mr. DiCaprio. Over the past decade, the oceans have warmed up about 0.13ºC, which is roughly equivalent to 32ºF. Any (that’s right, ANY) source of extra and unnecessary fuel going into the atmosphere is polluting it even more, regardless of the amount that is actually being released by a single human being. If we each imagine that we’re just one lone person releasing minimal fuels into the air on a private jet, those fuel totals will begin to add up.
DiCaprio has mentioned numerous times during his speech that “unless you live in alternate reality, there is no more time for denial of climate change.” Yet here he is orating on the subject and yet flying to his vacation destination on his very own private jet — doesn’t this in essence make this point moot? Do you not see the irony in that, DiCaprio? It’s extremely contradictory.
Scientists first discovered climate change in the 1930s when ocean temperatures surrounding North America had significantly risen during the previous 50 years. An article from the Scientific American states, “Scientists supposed this was just a phase of some mild natural cycle, with unknown causes. Only one lone voice, the amateur G. S. Callendar, insisted that greenhouse warming was on the way.” GS Callendar tried to warn citizens of the potential hazards from these greenhouse emissions, yet no one would listen or even believe such words.
Now, we find ourselves almost 90 years later, and the ocean temperatures continue to rise roughly 0.13ºF every decade. Although this might not seem like a lot, years of rising temperatures do add up. If the average ocean temperature has been rising 0.13ºF every decade for the last 9 decades, then the ocean temperatures have risen about 1.17ºF. As people emit more and more harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere every year, this 0.13ºF average will continue to grow and pollute the environment even more.
epa.gov writes, “Based on the historical record, increases in sea surface temperature have largely occurred over two key periods: between 1910 and 1940, and from about 1970 to the present.” The 1910s-1940s was one main industrial time period in the history of the world, as well as the 1970s to the present as more technology is being developed and more factories are being created to help make this new technology possible. People might not believe in climate change, but the numbers don’t lie: unless we fundamentally change the way we live our everyday lives and emit less hazardous greenhouse gases, we will soon live in a world that is severely polluted and has scarce clean air.
Evidently, DiCaprio’s speech about pollution in the atmosphere was correct, just not while standing on a private jet to provide the public with this speech. Think about your location carefully the next time you decide to give a speech about climate change (you might as well have been speaking in front of the Four Seasons Landscaping) !!
