Is Bloomberg "The Worst Individual Polluter" In Public Office?

Even though the average New Yorker has a smaller carbon footprint and uses about one-half less energy than other Americans, our Mayor — who has been widely praised for his ambitious environmental agenda — might be one of "the worst individual polluters ever to hold public office," according to the Times.

Columnist Jim Dwyer goes after Mayor Bloomberg for the environmental impact caused by his fleet of personal aircraft, which includes a helicopter and two Falcon 900 jets. Bloomberg uses his private planes for short jaunts to Washington DC, regular weekend vacations to Bermuda, and lengthy overseas voyages, like his upcoming trip to Copenhagen — where he will discuss climate change, of all things. In that flight to Denmark, Bloomberg and his crew will produce 37 times the amount of carbon dioxide than they would if they traveled to Europe on a commercial flight.

This isn't the first time the Mayor's seemingly wasteful travel routines have come under fire — he's been known to be chauffeured in an SUV from his Upper East Side townhouse to the subway. The Times notes that Bloomberg's environmental hypocrisy isn't out of the ordinary, because in general, "[h]uman beings will produce as many tons of carbon emissions as they can afford." But then again, we're talking about the guy who banned trans fat and mandated the display of nutritional information at fast food joints, but has been caught munching on artery-clogging Cheez-Its and is known to salt his bagels "like a pretzel."

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By Ben Muessig in News on December 13, 2009 11:06 AM

Comments [rss]

longacre

If there were a list of elected offenders who don't fly commercial air, not counting the President and VP, I'm pretty sure Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid would be #2 and #3 on the list...the US Air Force flies them around. Pelosi, in fact, demanded personal use of a USAF Boeing 757—a full size airliner that in commercial service would seat to 180 passengers and several times the size of Bloomberg's jets—just for Pelosi and her posse. Too bad Dwyer ignores them.

longacre

There's also the fact that the New York Times Company owned a bizjet until a few months ago, when they realized they were too broke to keep it.

commisioner gordon

how is this different from most other politicians

...oh wait, he actually pays for it himself rather than using tax payer dollars

MrManhattan

And he works for $1.00 a year. 8 going on 12 years of Mayoral salaries subsidized by Bloomberg Corp. Can't say that about 'ol Piccolo Duce.

winrx

Hmm, whoever thought we had our very own "Gulfstream liberal" running our city....

NannyState

More like "King Learjet".

Fritzdecat

Make that a salt covered Lear Jet..."Like a pretzel"

JacqueMehoff

but he hates guns so that makes it even, right?

he's just like us regular people, riding the subway, using our bikes. and, he really really hates guns.

I wonder why?

ides_of_march

Al Gore has a "carbon footprint" the size of the Grand Canyon too. Wake up people, it's all about a few elitists trying to destroy the middle class and recreate feudal society. The lords will have all the energy they want, the serfs will live in forced austerity. That's the plan.

EastRiver

But he flew commercial to Copenhagen so it's ok. /end sarcasm

Mr Mel

Do we really expect a billionaire to live like the rest of us? Like us, some of whom have a better deal than the some of the others, lifestyle is a choice. If I had the Mayor's riches I would also have jet planes and live in a mansion. Just about none of us would take a vow of poverty.

NannyState

No need for coal in his Christmas stocking this year. He apparently has plenty.

hotstepper

hey give bloomie a break kids! you'd need two private jets too if you had to cart around that giant ego.

thefacts

The hypocrisy is incredible in this administration.

Although she tells us plebes to ride the subway, walk or accept yet another underused bike lane, his DOT commissioner, Diktator Sakik-Khan:

- is chauffeured in a limo at taxpayers' expense, both during work and on evenigns

- gets ticketed for speeding on the Thruway (speeding wastes gasoline)

- has her own private parking space in front of her office.

nivek

Power corrupts absolutely. Think Robert Moses, ...we've lost our way as a city again, and the federal government is just as clueless.

RevWaldo

I know he's not exactly paparazzi material, but how come you never see photos of him *at* Bermuda? It's like there's a news blackout on visually reminding people just how rich this guy actually is - "Here's Mayor Bloomberg boarding one of his many private jets", "Here's Mayor Bloomberg hanging out at his lavish home in Bermuda", that sort of thing. I'm no hater, I'm just sayin'.

longacre

I've seen his house in Bermuda...it's actually one of the smaller ones in the area, but the view is pretty pimp. His neighbors Sylvio Berlusconi and Ross Perot have bigger houses.

nivek

Think of it is as extrapolating the average American idiot. How many of you were taught to turn the lights off when not in use?

Snoopy

The one doing this carbon footprint failed to mention his city mansion. How many people living there and how much heat and electricity is that thing consuming for someone who isn't even there that many hours of the day? Compare that to a family of five living in a two bedroom apartment in the Bronx. "Speak softly but carry a huge footprint mayor Mike."

felixthecat3

thank goodness for this mayor. my streets are clean, my garbage is picked up regularly! what a great guy. 4th term please! bloomberg for president!