Taylor Swift, not Kylie Jenner, breaks record of private jet use

After Jenner was labelled a 'climate criminal', the singer finds herself at the forefront of a similar backlash

Less than a month after makeup mogul Kylie Jenner was labelled a “climate criminal” for her excessive private jet use for flights lasting less than 20 minutes, American singer Taylor Swift finds herself at the forefront of a similar backlash.

Swift’s crimes against the environment were uncovered after sustainable marketing firm Yard published a report, using data from the CelebrityJets Twitter page, detailing the appalling private jet usage by celebrities. Swift, who has been a frequent advocate for sustainable causes, shocked fans when she topped the list of offenders in the report as her private jet was used for a staggering 170 flights in 2022.

The report confirms that the singer is responsible for CO2 emissions amounting to 8,293.54 tonnes this year. The report reveals that Swift’s emissions are 1,184.8 times more than the average person's total annual emissions. Additionally, Swift’s shortest recorded flight for the year is just 36 minutes from Missouri to Nashville, falling sharply in step behind the trend set by Jenner’s private jet use.

Following public uproar as the world falls deeper into the depths of a raging climate crisis, Swift’s representative could not have been quicker to respond. The spokesperson says, “Taylor’s jet is loaned out regularly to other individuals. To attribute most or all of these trips to her is blatantly incorrect.”

However, social media users began to debate how Swift not taking all the flights absolves her from responsibility, especially since she owns the private jet. Of course, as all debates go on Twitter, the tweets were not devoid of humour and sarcasm.

One user called out Swift's hypocrisy for significantly contributing to CO2 emissions while also romanticising a life surrounded by nature.

taylor swift saying she wants to run away to the lakes and live out the rest of her life surrounded by nature and then being responsible for 8923 tonnes of carbon emissions is sooo unserious

— josh (@joshieonfilm) July 29, 2022

Another user sarcastically broke down the shifting of blame provided by Swift's spokesperson behind the excessive use of her private jet.

you’ve really gotta hand it to taylor swift’s publicist bc “she generously rents out her jet for her poorer friends who can’t afford their own personal jets to use” is the funniest possible way to put a humanitarian spin on her carbon emissions

— Scream: The TV Series Belated Emmy Campaign (@ladiedbird) July 30, 2022

At the end of the day, well-loved celebrities should take responsibility for their unsustainable practices, and strive to change them, especially when the world is rapidly experiencing the dark consequences of climate change.

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