Anyway, back to jet fuel. One gallon creates 21 pounds of carbon dioxide, so 7million gallons creates 147million pounds of carbon dioxide.
This puts F1’s carbon footprint — and this is a very conservative estimate, remember, because it doesn’t include the production incidentals, plus the footprint of fans, suppliers and the entire infrastructure of a grand prix event, including much meat eating — at roughly the same as the annual CO2 emissions of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, a self-governing overseas territory of France, near Canada, with a population in excess of 6,000.
‘I know we are travelling around the world and racing Formula One cars, our carbon footprint is higher than the average homeowner who lives in the same city,’ Hamilton said. ‘But that doesn’t mean you should be afraid to speak out about things.’
Actually, it does. Not afraid, maybe, but at least aware. To even think that F1’s carbon footprint is comparable to a homeowner beggars belief.
‘I’m always looking at how I can improve the effect that I’m having on the world,’ said Hamilton, and that might be true. He is selling his collection of vintage, gas-hungry cars. He no longer has his private jet.
Yet every time he races, every time the giant caravan rolls on to its next destination — the last eight events this season pass through Italy, Singapore, Russia, Japan, Mexico, the USA, Brazil and Abu Dhabi — Hamilton is compromised.
Yay for salad and all that, but if Hamilton really wanted to save the planet he needs to delve a little deeper into the 0.07 megaton world he inhabits and seems rather reluctant to leave behind.
