A Reddit post about superyachts sparked a lively debate about the environmental cost of the lifestyles of the super-rich.
The post linked to a Fortune article, and its caption cited the headline, “The climate economics of the world’s 6,000 superyachts: ‘It’s not an entirely rational decision.'”
“I crewed one of these yachts for a top 100 billionaire last summer,” one commenter wrote. “We went from Savannah, GA to Gibraltar and burned 40,000 gallons of diesel. And that was a quarter of the total trip.”
They further said that the chefs would also throw out loads of food every day when they made too much for the crew, stating, “Didn’t matter to them, the budget was unlimited. Very wasteful industry.”
While this post and the corresponding article are from 2024, the problem has not lessened. Superyachts are a sign of wealth, and interest in the mega-boats seems to be increasing.
Aside from the hundreds of thousands of tons of carbon pollution the vessels produce annually, they also create other air pollution, wastewater, and noise and light pollution, all of which harm the environment.
Fortune reported that Gregory Salle, a social scientist, said that for these reasons, the impact of superyachts is a form of ecocide.
“Ecocide is something that causes deep harm, harm that is lasting over time,” Salle said. “You could apply this to what [superyachts] are doing, not just individual … but global.”
Collisions with outsized ships and boats in general are also a leading cause of death for marine wildlife, such as whales, sharks, and dolphins.
As was the case with the commenter who once crewed one of the ships, they often create significant food waste, as well, which is an environmental and social issue in its own right.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
The post sparked strong reactions among commenters.
“God I hate humanity,” said one.
“You hate the upper class, not humanity,” someone countered. “It’s just the top 0.01% at most. Of course, it does originate from a larger subgroup, maybe 10% of people who will often look to use others to their own benefit, but that still leaves 90% as pretty good folks.”
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD’s exclusive Rewards Club.
