Kim Kardashian has sparked backlash online after discussing her “pick and choose” approach to implementing a more eco-friendly way of living.
Kim, who has an estimated net worth of almost $2 billion, has long been vocal about the incredibly lavish lifestyle that she leads.
In fact, she just recently gave fans a tour of her luxury, cashmere-clad private jet during an episode of her Hulu reality series, The Kardashians.
But, perhaps unsurprisingly, it wasn’t long before Kim’s plane was outed as one with an incredibly problematic track record, landing her amongst the top 10 celebrities with the worst CO2 emissions via their private jets.
A report published in July by Yard, a sustainability-driven digital marketing agency, noted that Kim’s vehicle has emitted more than 4,000 metric tons of carbon over 57 flights since January. It also stated that her average flight time is 85.49 minutes, with her shortest flight being just 23 minutes.
Given that we’re witnessing a growing, devastating climate crisis unfold before our very eyes, fans were understandably outraged at Kim’s jet usage and voiced their frustration toward her for seemingly taking minimal action to help combat the issue.
What’s more, the business mogul has hardly acknowledged the impact her and her family’s lifestyles have on the world, with her sister Kylie Jenner also recently being branded a “full time climate criminal” after her own jet was exposed for taking flights as short as 17 minutes.
Climate change is real 💔🌎
However, during a new conversation with Interview magazine this week, Kim was asked about exactly what she’s doing to help “combat and prevent” the climate crisis.
Noting that climate change is “insane,” the interviewer asked Kim: “Do you feel like you do anything to combat and prevent that?”
Kim began by responding, “I believe in climate change, and I believe that anything can help.” But, she then suggested that people need to be “realistic” with their approaches, because there’s already “so much to worry about” in the world.
“But I also believe in being realistic and I think sometimes there’s so much to worry about on this planet, and it can be really scary to live your life with anxiety,” she said.
Kim went on to say that she does what she can to help the climate crisis, but ultimately thinks it’s fine to “pick and choose” what “really works” for her lifestyle.
“I have super climate change-involved friends, and I love learning from them,” she said. “I do what I can, but you have to pick and choose what really works for you in your life.”
Kim added, “No one’s going to be 100 percent perfect.”
Needless to say, Kim’s response has infuriated some fans online, with many immediately pointing out that the billionaire has largely contributed to the climate crisis not just through the use of her private jet, but also via her excessive home water usage amid the California drought.
Residents in California have spent months following strict regulations in a bid to preserve the minimal water available in the state, which has been under a drought emergency proclamation since January. The drought has been listed as the state’s worst on record.
But in spite of this, according to the Los Angeles Times, two of Kim’s Hidden Hills properties exceeded water limits by a shocking 230,000 gallons this summer alone, while her sister Kourtney went 101,000 gallons over the permitted mark within her Calabasas home.
Kim’s representative didn’t respond to BuzzFeed News’ request for comment at the time, and the mogul has yet to publicly address the scandal.
Bringing this into view now, one person responded to a tweet quoting Kim’s recent comments and added several screenshots showcasing her shocking water usage, writing: “*kims lawn enters the chat*”
@hunterschwarz *kims lawn enters the chat*
Another person wrote, “‘Pick & choose’ with climate change….. what exactly ARE you doing to combat climate change? Nothing. Wasting water during a crisis. Flying personal jets around. All you do is consume & waste. You do realize when humanity goes extinct your kids are included in that right?”
“kim is so brave for this. not wasting massive amounts of water and flying everywhere on a private jet at this pivotal moment of climate apocalypse just doesn't ‘really work for her in her life,’” quipped another Twitter user.
kim is so brave for this. not wasting massive amounts of water and flying everywhere on a private jet at this pivotal moment of climate apocalypse just doesn't "really work for her in her life" https://t.co/GmBmFvEoME
Others pointed out that Kim’s “pick and choose” approach to climate change is what quite literally “destroys the planet.”
“This attitude kills when it comes to COVID, and destroys the planet when it comes to climate change. ‘I won't do my part because I won't live in fear’ is blaming marginalized people for the deaths you're causing,” one person tweeted.
This attitude kills when it comes to COVID, and destroys the planet when it comes to climate change. "I won't do my part because I won't live in fear" is blaming marginalized people for the deaths you're causing. This is Kim Kardashian in @HuffPost today.
“LoL Kim K - can only pick and choose what works for your life…spewing more CO2e on private jets and wasting more water than a majority of the planet has access to - a modern day let them eat cake,” wrote another.
@RollingStone LoL Kim K - can only pick and choose what works for your life…spewing more CO2e on private jets and wasting more water than a majority of the planet has access to - a modern day let them eat cake.
“@KimKardashian using 9 years’ worth of water in a month and frolicking around in her jet needlessly and then saying she can ‘pick and choose’ how she pays attention to the climate crisis is…really something,” someone else added.
.@KimKardashian using 9 years’ worth of water in a month and frolicking around in her jet needlessly and then saying she can “pick and choose” how she pays attention to the climate crisis is…really something https://t.co/9TAV8aHmSp