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One of the rising contributors to climate change is the growth in use of private jets by high profile celebrities. As fans see their favorite artists perform in cities across the world, concerns have been raised about the carbon footprint that they leave behind.
According to My Climate Carbon Tracker, Travis Scott had the most private jet carbon emissions in 2023, amounting to over 13 million pounds of carbon emissions. This is roughly equivalent to the carbon footprint of over 1,600 people. The Houston rapper and producer recently visited LSU, the University of Texas at Austin and USC in the span of 24 hours to promote his clothing brand with the help of his private jet.
Sophomore Urban studies and planning major Joaquin Torres says travel regulations should be implemented to reduce the amount of private travel, thereby decreasing celebrities’ carbon footprints.
JOAQUIN TORRES: “I just don’t think the private jet stuff like back and forth is all that safe for the environment. I think we need to take care of it. Artists like Taylor Swift and all [of] them going place to place in like the span of 24 hours is pretty bad for our environment.
“There should be a new law or something like that that controls air time for rappers. Maybe one flight or two flights max, or maybe you got flight hours within a week.”
Taylor Swift most recently made headlines for the size of her carbon footprint after using a private jet to go back and forth from her worldwide tour and boyfriend Travis Kelce’s football games. Swift’s case is just one example of celebrities using private jets for the sake of their own convenience with a disregard for their own carbon footprint.
Second year journalism student Makai Singleton has come to expect the constant use of private jets from those who can afford it.
MAKAI SINGLETON: “People are getting too used to that private jet life and the more people that get money the more people are going to be willing to see what it’s like.”
Communications senior Nia Mitchell believes that there should be greater scrutiny focused towards artists who excessively pollute the environment rather than to fans who buy their merchandise.
NIA MITCHELL: “Yes I agree somewhat that there’s some sort of correlation but they have to make those decisions on their own like, that ultimate decision whether or not they’re going to get a private jet, I mean they could do something different with the money I helped them make.”
Whether or not you think fans should be more conscious of what they are spending their money on, the frequent private air travel by big celebrities has an impact on the environment and merchandise sales ultimately fuel not only their planes, but also intense bouts climate change.
For Annenberg Media, I’m Sophie Ignon.