Bill Gates will keep flying in private jets, campaigning on climate change — because he's 'part of the solution.' Here are 3 actions he wants you to take
Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has been a vocal advocate for addressing climate change. But like many of the ultra-rich, he also travels in a private jet, which emits quite a bit of greenhouse gas.
Does that mean he’s a hypocrite? BBC journalist Amol Rajan confronted Gates with the question in an interview last month.
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“What do you say to the charge that if you are a climate change campaigner, but you also travel around the world in a private jet, you’re a hypocrite?” Rajan asked bluntly.
“Well, I buy the gold standard of, funding Climeworks, to do direct air capture that far exceeds my family’s carbon footprint,” Gates replied. “And I spend billions of dollars on climate innovation. So you know, should I stay at home and not come to Kenya and learn about farming and malaria?”
“I'm comfortable with the idea that not only am I not part of the problem by paying for the offsets, but also through the billions that my Breakthrough Energy Group is spending, that I'm part of the solution,” the Microsoft co-founder added.
Of course, you don’t need to be a billionaire to help fight climate change. In his book How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, Gates detailed the actions that we, as consumers, can take to move humanity closer to a zero-carbon future.
Here’s a look at three of them.
Reduce your carbon footprint at home
Gates suggests that you can lower your home’s emissions by making it more energy efficient.
“Depending on how much money and time you can spare, you can replace your incandescent lightbulbs with LEDs, install a smart thermostat, insulate your windows, buy efficient appliances, or replace your heating and cooling system with a heat pump (as long as you live in a climate where they can operate),” he writes.