In March, Shark Tank’s Kevin O’ Leary, also known as “Mr. Wonderful,” was spotted sailing down the Miami River in his stylish multi-million dollar superyacht.
A TikTok video shot in Miami | The party in Miami Beach (@livinmiami305) seemed to be in full swing, with rap music blaring and guests having a blast.
According to the Miami charter service Instagram account Yachting with Christos (@yachtingwithchristos), the boat is an 85-foot Wally WHY 150 that cost a whopping $9 million to build.
While yachts are undoubtedly eye-catching, larger vessels are not known for being environmentally friendly.
For example, a 2024 Oxfam report found that the world’s 50 richest billionaires produced more carbon pollution from their private jets, superyachts and investments in just 90 minutes than most people produce in a lifetime. Their yachts produce as much carbon in one year as the average person produces in nearly 900 years.
This immeasurable pollution not only harms the environment and causes rising temperatures, but also causes trillions of dollars in economic losses, crop failures and millions of excess deaths, the report said.
While Wally incorporates environmentally friendly elements into their construction, such as recycled plastics, sustainably grown wood, lightweight carbon fiber to improve efficiency, and hulls optimized for fuel economy, the ships still rely on diesel, according to YachtBuyer.
As AZoCleantech reports, modern technology and emissions standards have made diesel cars and trucks burn cleaner, but most superyachts use marine diesel, which emits higher levels of pollutants such as sulfur and particulate matter when burned.
Since yachts are much larger than cars and trucks, they use much more fuel. On the other hand, the Environmental Protection Agency has issued new marine diesel standards that should help.
Nonetheless, large yachts have a huge impact on people, marine life, ecosystems and the planet as a whole, so it’s important to choose environmentally friendly means of transportation and travel with ease.
Fortunately, a growing number of cruise lines are debuting ships that are fully or partially powered by clean energy sources such as solar and hydrogen fuel cells, making it easier to sail sustainably.
“Looks like a scene from Batman with Kevin O’Leary as the villain,” one user commented on TikTok.
“People struggle to make ends meet while the rich flaunt their wealth,” another shared.
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