Is Paul McCartney a Hypocrite?

And he has supported a number of charities: Adopt-a-Minefield, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Keep a Child Alive, Make Poverty History, PETA, Paralympics Great Britain, and War Child, to name just a few.

But when recently asked by New York Magazine if his lifestyle is excessive, McCartney demurred– “I must say I’m not that excessive.” Nonetheless, he admitted, “[O]ccasionally, I will do something that’s a bit of a splurge, like hire a private plane if it’s necessary.”

While private jets may be smaller than commercial airliners, their carbon emission rate may be as damaging–if not more so–than jumbo jets because of the passenger ratio.

Is there an inconsistency between McCartney’s talk and McCartney’s walk? Should McCartney and other celebrities who are frequent flyers on their own planes change their traveling habits? Share your thoughts in the comments below.