As predicted, a record number of private jets touched down in D.C. for inauguration. Almost 500, in fact-200 more than showed up for Bush’s inauguration. (No real surprise there, given the number of celebrities, CEOs, and big shots who backed our new president.) Forget for a moment the implications of this kind of excess during these tough times, and consider the environmental implications. Asks WSJ.com: How do you call for social responsibility after touching down in a $40 million, gas-guzzling Gulfstream?-adding the parenthetical: “Maybe travelers will buy carbon credits.“Um, maybe. But private jets dump into the atmosphere anywhere from 10,803 to 1,392 pounds of CO2 an hour. And, as we now know, even if we all started living in hovels with no lights, cars, or air conditioners, the earth would continue to warm, because there’s a decades-long lag in impact. According to a report by the European Commission-backed a year later by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change-we have about six more years before we must cut in half our carbon emissions before we pass the point of no return.And that was the good news! (Worse news here.)
Tags
advertisement
More for You
-
14 images of badass women who destroyed stereotypes and inspired future generations
These trailblazers redefined what a woman could be.
Throughout history, women have stood up and fought to break down barriers imposed on them from stereotypes and societal expectations. The trailblazers in these photos made history and redefined what a woman could be. In doing so, they paved the way for future generations to stand up and continue to fight for equality.
-
Why mass shootings spawn conspiracy theories
Mass shootings and conspiracy theories have a long history.
While conspiracy theories are not limited to any topic, there is one type of event that seems particularly likely to spark them: mass shootings, typically defined as attacks in which a shooter kills at least four other people.
When one person kills many others in a single incident, particularly when it seems random, people naturally seek out answers for why the tragedy happened. After all, if a mass shooting is random, anyone can be a target.
Pointing to some nefarious plan by a powerful group – such as the government – can be more comforting than the idea that the attack was the result of a disturbed or mentally ill individual who obtained a firearm legally.
advertisement

