Robert Downey Jr. is back in the Marvel world, but the perks he's receiving as part of his return have drawn criticism.
Downey, who signed on to play the famed villain Doctor Doom in "Avengers: Doomsday" and "Avengers: Secret Wars," is believed to be making a bank-breaking total for the films. According to Variety, sources said Anthony and Joe Russo are making $80 million to direct the movies, and Downey is making "significantly more" than that for his role as the main antagonist.
However, Downey's benefits don't stop there. Variety reported that the 59-year-old's deal "also is filled with perks that include private jet travel, dedicated security and a whole 'trailer encampment.'" Downey is "by far the highest-paid member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and has pulled down between $500 million and $600 million" for his starring roles in seven films and cameo appearances in three more.
Specifically, Downey's private jet usage is problematic. Private planes are a major factor in the warming of the planet because they produce excessive pollution that traps heat in the atmosphere. According to the Guardian, private planes are "up to 14 times more polluting, per passenger, than commercial planes and 50 times more polluting than trains."
Downey isn't alone in his harmful contributions to the environment. Celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Jay-Z, and Kim Kardashian are known for their private jet usage, and a creative study by the online plant database Krado determined that it would take 186 billion houseplants to offset the pollution caused by these flights.
It should be noted that Downey has also undertaken eco-friendly endeavors, such as when he gave away six eco-modified cars from his show, "Downey's Dream Cars." This initiative was a part of his effort to promote environmentally sustainable solutions and support his FootPrint Coalition, which invests in technologies to mitigate climate change.
Still, private jet travel remains an important conversation. While celebrities on Downey's level may have great difficulty traveling on conventional commercial airlines even in first class, Disney heiress Abigail Disney recently weighed in on the matter, expressing disapproval of private jets by calling them a "cancer" with their luxury emissions.
Her comments have sparked discussions on the environmental impact of private jets, highlighting that the pollution they release is excessive. This conversation can help bring attention to the need to reduce pollution produced by the wealthy and advocate for more sustainable travel options.
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