Bill Gates faces backlash after video surfaces of $645 million purchase: 'I can't even afford to look at it'

The $645 million megayacht commissioned by Bill Gates is getting attention for all the wrong reasons, and TikTokers used it to make pointed observations about environmental responsibility.

Lacoche Yacht (@lacocheyacht) shared a video on the platform that zooms in on the massive vessel off the French Riviera. "There is Bill Gates' $645M megayacht and there is us," the text overlay reads.

@lacocheyacht
♬ AURA - Ogryzek

The video shows the enormous yacht and its multiple decks, a pool, and two smaller boats attached to it. The creator captured the scale of the vessel as it sat in the water, a floating reminder of just how the ultra-wealthy live. (Gates reportedly sold the boat before he ever got on board.)

Superyachts such as this one burn through thousands of gallons of fuel per hour and produce pollution at a rate that dwarfs anything the average person could generate in a lifetime. A single superyacht can release as much carbon pollution in one year as hundreds of average homes. These floating mansions require constant fueling, whether they're cruising or just anchored with the air conditioning running.

Individual actions to lessen pollution include ditching grocery bags and other single-use plastic items. Small personal choices still matter for your wallet and your health, and they add up, but systemic change requires systemic action.

Contacting your local and federal legislators about policies that hold large polluters accountable can make a difference. Supporting candidates who prioritize environmental regulations and corporate accountability is another way to make change outside your own household.

Users took to the comments section to voice their frustration.

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"I couldn't afford the boat that's attached to the boat that's attached to the boat," one commenter wrote.

"I can't even afford to look at it," another person joked.

A third user sarcastically lamented, "But my plastic straws are the problem."

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