Billionaire Paul Allen’s Environmental Hypocrisy

Co-founder of Microsoft, Paul Allen is one of the 20 richest Americas owning all sorts of assets including the Seattle Seahawks in Portland Trailblazers sports teams.

Allen is also a well-known environmentalist.  For example, as reported in thehill.com, in 2014 Allen sued the federal government claiming that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) did not properly study the effects of greenhouse gases that were caused by the coal rights the government leased.  As reported by the Huffington Post, Allen said: “The leasing of coal from federal lands undermines President Obama’s climate policy goals.  We have no comprehensive understanding of the air pollution and climate impact of the federal coal-leasing program because the Bureau of Land Management has failed to analyze the available data for more than three decades.”

While Paul Allen speaks environmentally, he lives by different rules.  The billionaire owns a yacht that cost nearly $170 million.  That extravagant play toy consumes much fuel and blows out significant carbon is not in the best interest of the environment.  Couldn’t Mr. Allen live with a minimalist $25 million yacht that burned less fuel?

Adding insult to injury, Reuter’s reported that Mr. Allen’s yacht recently did significant damage to the coral reef located near the Cayman Islands.  Reuters reported that the yacht’s anchor damaged nearly 14,000 ft.² or nearly 80% of the coral reef in one diving area.

While Paul Allen travels around in a $170 million yacht, he would likely advocate for commoners to drive Chevy Volts.  More elitist hypocrisy.