The Lexus LS600H, which costs £84,000, was a gift from Lexus to the 65-year-old former Beatle, who helped promote the hybrid vehicle. But instead of arriving by boat as expected, the car was flown to Britain on a Korean Air flight, creating a carbon footprint almost 100 times bigger than if it had come by sea. Sir Paul is a vocal advocate of vegetarianism and has long been a poster child for environmental activism.
His 6-year marriage to Heather Mills, with whom he campaigned against seal culling, came to an end yesterday after their divorce was finalised in the High Court. A source is reported to have said: “Paul was offered a Lexus as a gift and ordered the hybrid limo because it helps to reduce emissions. “He’ll be horrified after learning it was delivered by plane. Paul has always campaigned for green issues and he can’t understand why anyone would send an enormous car from Japan to Britain on a plane.”
Carbon offsetting firm CO2balance.com said the plane journey would have caused a carbon footprint of 38,050kg, compared to 397kg for a three-week boat journey. Co2balance.com Director Mike Rigby said: “That is the equivalent of driving the car around the world six times.”
Har!
I have to believe that plane would have flown regardless, but considering the cars intended purpose…
How ironic.
Poor Paul.
I love the guy, but he’s gone a little nutty over the years.
I agree with Serrin, if it was a regularly scheduled KAL flight, the “carbon footprint” is zero. Paul’s a dick, but this is a non issue.
Sir Paul also should have first inspected the Lexus factory for carbon-infractions after having ridden a Shetland pony there.
RBG
I still bet he drops by Wendy’s when nobody is looking.
He’s Paul McCartney. When is nobody looking?
That’s SIR Paul McCartney 4 u folks!
He should fly it back and make them ship it.
Just another “look at what you dont have you freedom loving sheep” articles. Free to be exploited by our lanky, gangly, british overlords.
When is it our turn to build their pyramid shaped tombs?
This is just another example of how stupid and useless is the Ecological Economy. I’m sure that if he kept using is HOLD limo there would be so much less impact on the environment than the building, shipping, and using of his new “you think you’re saving earth but instead you’re killing it” limo.
Why don’t ecologist aim at RE-USE instead of making people buying stuff they already have home but earth friendly? All this nonsense about the not-so-earth-friendly trend makes me sick.
But who cares about P.McCartney anyway?
Brits who complain about geek toy prices really get screwed oveer on wheels. That price is 60% higher than MSRP in the States.
And why on earth is Lexus giving a “gift” to one of the richest people in Britain in the first place?
I mean if Sir Paul wanted a Lexus limo, he could write out a check.
Shesh!
Personally, I think it’s a bit silly of the press to keep harping on things like this. For example, we are constantly hearing about how big Al Gore’s carbon footprint is due to his flying around giving his slideshow on global warming.
Of course its true that his carbon footprint will be large due to his traveling, but it’s his traveling and presentations that have made countless people aware that they even have a carbon footprint. As a result I see a lot of ordinary people making decisions to reduce their carbon footprint in way that they probably never would have before.
If Paul McCartney driving around in a flown in hybrid Lexus causes more people to consider switching to higher milage cars then I think he can be forgiven for the extra carbon it took to get his car.
“And why on earth is Lexus giving a “gift” to one of the richest people in Britain in the first place?”
He’s done a lot of commercials for Lexus.
I think he’s crazy nowadays, but he’s Paul McCartney. He earned the right to be a prick sometimes.