Greta has left the mainland.
Climate activist Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old phenom from Sweden, has left the United States en route to Spain for a climate summit. But she doesn’t fly — too much pollution from burning a petroleum product.
So instead she’s on a boat, made of … petroleum products.
“So happy to say I’ll hopefully make it to COP25 in Madrid,” Greta wrote on Twitter. “I’ve been offered a ride from Virginia on the 48ft catamaran La Vagabonde. Australians @Sailing_LaVaga ,Elayna Carausu & @_NikkiHenderson from England will take me across the Atlantic. We sail for Europe tomorrow morning!” she wrote Tuesday.
So happy to say I’ll hopefully make it to COP25 in Madrid.
I’ve been offered a ride from Virginia on the 48ft catamaran La Vagabonde. Australians @Sailing_LaVaga ,Elayna Carausu & @_NikkiHenderson from England will take me across the Atlantic.
We sail for Europe tomorrow morning! pic.twitter.com/qJcgREe332— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) November 12, 2019
“Twelve weeks after sailing into New York City, Greta hitched a ride back to Europe Wednesday with celebrity sailors Elayna Carausu and Riley Whitelum on La Vagabonde, a luxury catamaran made of petroleum products like fiberglass,” The Washington Times reported.
Greta’s father Svante Thunberg and British yachtswoman Nikki Henderson joined the La Vagabonde crew, raising questions about whether they flew across the pond only to sail back.
In addition to solar and hydro power, the craft is equipped with two diesel 30hp engines, according to Multihull Central, a boat-reviewing site, as noted by climate skeptic Tom Nelson.
That last detail brought some criticism on social media sites.
“Uh oh: Greta’s planet-destroying luxury yacht has two diesel engines with 672L diesel fuel tank,” wrote on person on Twitter.
Uh oh: Greta’s planet-destroying luxury yacht has two diesel engines with 672L diesel fuel tank.https://t.co/vkQM1bHllshttps://t.co/ga1xg7MiHOhttps://t.co/esHRZ0aJwR https://t.co/0e0vmDoJRF
— Tom Nelson (@tan123) November 13, 2019
“Greta’s return boat, an Outremer 45, weighs 17,400 pounds and is made of fiberglass, or fiber-reinforced plastic. The yacht was pumped out of the ground by oil companies. It draws auxiliary power from twin Volvo Diesel engines,” wrote another.
Greta’s return boat, an Outremer 45, weighs 17,400 pounds and is made of fiberglass, or fiber-reinforced plastic. The yacht was pumped out of the ground by oil companies. It draws auxiliary power from twin Volvo Diesel engines #Greta https://t.co/JZJelGiS3O
— CFACT (@CFACT) November 13, 2019
“The irony of protesting capitalism and oil on board a carbon-fiber (petrochemical) yacht owned by European royals who made billions operating Monaco as a tax haven was rich,” CFACT President Craig Rucker said, The Times reported.
The 16-year-old student has become an international star and darling of the mainstream media. She has 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 is a climate activist.
She was set to head down Chile for a U.N. climate summit this month but that was been canceled amid political unrest. “As #COP25 has officially been moved from Santiago to Madrid I’ll need some help,” Greta wrote on Twitter Nov. 1 while in Los Angeles. “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.”
Twitterers hit her then, too.
“[F]ly on a private jet with Leo, he flies private all over the world,” one wag wrote. Another offered an even better solution: “Video-conference saves energy.”
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.”
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