A billionaire calling card was spotted on the River Thames in London.
That's according to a post on the subreddit r/london that shows a behemoth superyacht in the historic city.
"Is Jeff Bezos in town?" the Redditor asked.
And while it isn't certain to be a boat owned by the Amazon founder, Bezos has made headlines for his use of large ships worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
And he isn't alone among the super rich.
CleanTechnica reported that yearly planet-warming fume production from the top 300 superyachts equals 285,000 tons. These ships often come with fossil-burning toys, including helicopters and smaller tender boats.
Oxfam America, a nonprofit working to "end poverty and injustice," said the world's top 1% made more pollution in 2019 through their enterprises and hobbies than five billion other people combined.
"Don't these 1% have a responsibility to cut emissions, not only in their business enterprises but in their personal carbon footprints?" CleanTechnica's Carolyn Fortuna wrote.
The pollution is contributing to Earth's overheating, which is largely — 90% of warming — happening in oceans, according to NASA. Scientists are studying sea current changes in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf Stream, partly due to melting ice. Some of the fallout could include a worsening coastal water rise that endangers seaside communities, per a report by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Some super rich are investing in cleaner luxury toys. Bill Gates reportedly has a billion dollar hydrogen-powered superyacht, utilizing a small electric tender built by Zin Boats, from Seattle.
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Definitely 👍 Bezos even has a wind-powered boat, listed by NAVIS Luxury Yacht Magazine as the largest sailing vessel of its kind. But it includes a dirty diesel propulsion option, too.
And the excess isn't limited to the sea. Bezos' Beverly Hills home is surrounded by a giant, stories-high hedge. The Los Angeles Times reported it required 27,000 gallons of water a day during the summer when it was owned by philanthropist David Geffen, another member of the extremely wealthy class.
Consumers can help to hold the super rich and their companies accountable by supporting eco-friendly brands that make and sell products that are better for the environment. Staying updated about business pledges to operate more cleanly can help to prevent so-called greenwashing. That's when brands promise to reduce pollution but take little substantive action. An easy way to help each day is to unplug your unused chargers and devices when they are offline. You can save energy and cut your electricity bill, as well.
Redditors commented about the photo of the mystery yacht with various takes. One person had a possible next step for the super-expensive luxury vessel. It would be a fit with Blue Origin, which is one of Bezos' other enterprises and builds rockets.
"A boat that turns into a spaceship no doubt," they speculated.
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