Some people see the trappings of great wealth — private airplanes, gigantic mansions, fancy sports cars — as harrowing signs of our deepening wealth gap. Others see them as great motivators to work hard to achieve their own success. Either way, it's hard to ignore the environmental implications of such large accessories.
All of these takes were on display when TikTok user Baylen (@baylenlatona) posted a video showing some super-sized yachts docked in Miami.
@baylenlatona I wake up, look outside and get free motivation ‼️‼️#miami #superyacht #yachts #megayacht #millionaire #billionaire #monaco #miamiflorida ♬ Monaco_2006 AJ - 2006 AJ
In the clip, Baylen focuses on a large yacht. The caption on the video says, "I thought this yacht was big until..." The camera then pans to an even bigger yacht: "I saw this one."
While superyachts are undoubtedly impressive, they can cause a host of environmental problems.
The large ships emit extraordinary amounts of carbon, polluting the air. In the past, experts have estimated, per the Guardian, that superyachts can produce 1,500 times more carbon than a standard car.
They can also cause incredible damage to local ecosystems. For example, some of these large ships have even collided with coral reefs, wreaking havoc under the water.
And it's not just these large ships that have attracted scrutiny in the luxury travel space. Private jet travel is another tremendous global polluter.
Commenters on the original video were stunned by the sheer size of the yacht. One said, "I thought that was a building..."
Another summed up the frustration many feel about the effects of things like this on the environment. "And us driving our [internal combustion engine] cars [is] the problem."
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Definitely 👍 Regardless of our economic situations, personal responsibilities and choices can make real differences in fighting global pollution. It may not seem like it when staring at a huge yacht, but first individuals and then whole communities shifting to electric vehicles and switching to solar power can add up.
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