Pop singer who flew private plane to see boyfriend with “selfish love” is in controversy again, 90 tons carbon bomb

American pop star Taylor Swift took a private plane to watch her boyfriend's National Football League (NFL) Super Bowl game during her world tour. While Taylor Swift's flex for love is attracting attention, controversy is erupting as it is estimated that the additional carbon emissions due to this event will amount to about 90 tons.

On the afternoon of the 11th (local time), Swift cheered on the 58th NFL Super Bowl in which her boyfriend, American football player Travis Kelce, played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, USA. Swift, who is on a world tour, immediately finished her performance in Tokyo, Japan that day and arrived in Las Vegas after traveling approximately 8,900 km on a private plane.

In relation to this, the American daily Washington Post (WP) estimated that "the additional distance he traveled to watch this Super Bowl game was 22,000 km (about 13,670 miles)." He also said, “It takes about 33,000 liters (L) of fuel for Dasosa’s ‘Falcon 900 Jet,’ a Swift-specific aircraft, to travel this distance,” and added, “The carbon emissions emitted in the process amount to about 90 tons.” He then pointed out, “This is more than the carbon emissions emitted by six Americans combined throughout this year.” Swift's next concert destination in Tokyo is Melbourne, Australia. This is an estimate based on the distance traveled from Tokyo to Las Vegas and from Las Vegas to Melbourne.

Other media outlets also criticized Swift regarding the amount of carbon emissions it would emit. Fortune, an American economic media outlet, said, “The exact amount of carbon emissions may vary depending on many factors, but the amount of carbon Swift emits while traveling from the 4th, when the Grammy Awards ceremony was held, to the 16th, when the Australian tour begins, is at least 90 tons (20 tons). “It will be more than 10,000 pounds,” he claimed.

This is not the first time Swift has been criticized for carbon emissions. Previously, Swift's private jet has been criticized several times by environmental activists for the reason that greenhouse gases emitted are having a negative impact on climate change. In relation to this, Swift said that she was working hard to improve the environment by making donations, but did not disclose specific facts.

Swift does not seem to accept the criticism directed at her regarding carbon emissions. According to local media such as CNN and the Washington Post on the 6th (local time), Swift recently sent a warning to a college student who tracked her private plane to measure carbon emissions, saying, "We will take legal action." However, when this fact became known, some people criticized it as "excessive treatment" and faced a backlash.

Meanwhile, Swift has been designated as the 'celebrity who emits the most carbon' due to her frequent use of private jets. According to a survey by British marketing company Yard, the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by Swift from January to July 2022 was 8,293 tons, which is 184 times more than the average annual carbon dioxide emissions of the general public.

Choi Ji-ye, Ten Asia Reporter wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr