Greta Thunberg has a big problem.
The 16-year-old student from Sweden has become an international star and darling of the mainstream media. She’s warned world leaders about climate change in a speech at the United Nations, and she’s been palling around with actor Leonardo DiCaprio, who also plays the role of climate activist.
But unlike DiCaprio — who jets around the world to pop off about the dangers of fossil fuels — Greta is trying to keep her carbon footprint low.
She’s been traveling around the U.S., appearing on late-night and daytime talk shows. She was set to head down Chile for a U.N. climate summit next month, but that has been canceled amid political unrest.
So now she’s trying to figure out how get across the Atlantic Ocean. To get to California recently, she traveled by yacht, train and electric car. Now, she’s trying to get to Spain — 6,000 miles away — for the COP25 summit.
“As #COP25 has officially been moved from Santiago to Madrid I’ll need some help,” Greta wrote on Twitter from Los Angeles. “It turns out I’ve travelled half around the world, the wrong way. Now I need to find a way to cross the Atlantic in November … If anyone could help me find transport I would be so grateful.”
As #COP25 has officially been moved from Santiago to Madrid I’ll need some help.
It turns out I’ve traveled half around the world, the wrong way:)
Now I need to find a way to cross the Atlantic in November… If anyone could help me find transport I would be so grateful.
-> https://t.co/vFQQcLTh2U— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) November 1, 2019
Ah, looking for a free ride (and maybe a free lunch, too).
Twitter, as usual, was merciless.
“[F]ly on a private jet with Leo, he flies private all over the world,” one Twitterer wrote.
Another offered an even better solution: “Video-conference saves energy.”
One wag offered this solution:
This one.
It’s cheap, it’s ecological and it’s biodegradable. pic.twitter.com/GrnJLqHXCV— Tonelete12 🇪🇸 (@tonelete12) November 1, 2019
Another offered this mode of transportation:
Basque people are used to travel this way. You only need to find 12 basque people and tell them that they can’t cross the Atlantic…
You can sit in the bows and enjoy your carbon free trip. pic.twitter.com/KxLYufJnL2
— To Pa Ná (@ToPaN76122909) November 1, 2019
But others offered real advice.
“Dear Greta, Millions of people fly on airplanes every day. Your life doesn’t need to be so complicated. You are being lied to by the adults around you. You should be in school enjoying yourself, not being tortured by unscrupulous people using you for propaganda,” wrote another user.
Dear Greta,
Millions of people fly on airplanes every day. Your life doesn’t need to be so complicated. You are being lied to by the adults around you.
You should be in school enjoying yourself, not being tortured by unscrupulous people using you for propaganda.
— Tony Heller (@Tony__Heller) November 3, 2019
In Los Angeles, Great appeared on “The Ellen Show.” Ellen DeGeneres asked her if she would meet face-to-face with President Trump to talk climate. “I don’t understand why I would do that,” Greta said, drawing cheers from the audience. “I think it would be a waste of time really.”
