A picture is worth a thousand words. In this case, an image posted on the r/yachtporn subreddit represents the very worst of humanity in the Information Age.
"Our tax dollars hard at work," one commenter replied.
The pic shows scores of yachts and superyachts docked at Port Hercule in Monaco, denoting thousands of tons of CO2 emissions and more cash than anyone could spend in 100 lifetimes.
According to a study conducted by Beatriz Barros and Richard Wilk, the super-rich have carbon footprints thousands of times higher than the average person.
It's no wonder that a day on the water is spent surrounded by more fiberglass and marine diesel-pushing real estate than an entire neighborhood of homes.
According to the SuperYacht Times, there are more than 5,000 superyachts in operation, with a single vessel capable of producing 7,000 tons of CO2 per year.
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That staggering level is worse when you realize the superyacht industry is steadily growing.
There are some promising signs, however.
Eco-friendly technologies such as regenerative sailing, hybrid propulsion systems, solar power, and hydrogen fuel cells are gaining traction. The Water Revolution Foundation is also pushing to transform the superyacht industry into a more environmentally friendly one.
While that's a positive takeaway, it's not exactly a referendum on tax loopholes, other systemic tax advantages, and wealth inequality.
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Definitely 👍 Plus, with minimal regulation and taxation on marine fuel pollution, not much is likely to change with existing superyachts.
Regardless of baby steps in the right direction, pictures like this represent a large segment of society that's fed up with global wealth disparity and the wealthy's predilection toward destroying the environment, placing the burden on the backs of taxpayers.
One Reddit response pointed out the obvious: "I've never understood why square footage is equivalent to any sort of happiness? Get some real people to spend life with."
Others reflect the common perception of these places: "Monaco and Switzerland (and now London) exist almost entirely to launder money."
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