Beckham leaves massive global 'footprint'
FoxSoccer.com
Updated: January 23, 2008, 8:30 PM EST
David Beckham is already the world's richest footballer.
He may also be its biggest environmental threat.
According to Soccer America daily, with reference to data provided by the British environmental group Carbon Trust, the Los Angeles Galaxy superstar is responsible for 163 tons of carbon dioxide yearly — compare that to the normal 9.4 tons the average Englishman produces.
Beckham's Carbon Footprint — a measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide — may be the largest in human history.
No, Beckham isn't breathing any more or less than anyone else, but his extensive air travel for matches and endorsement obligations, along with his fleet of cars and homes, has provided the statistics for Carbon Trust.
The former England captain logged over 250,000 miles last year as he flew back and forth between the U.S. and Europe for England's European Championship qualifiers, while also participating in a Galaxy tour of Oceania in the latter part of the year.
Beckham and his wife Victoria also collected over 50,000 frequent flyer miles for advertising obligations around the globe.
Collectively, Beckham flew farther in 2007 than a trip from the earth to the moon.
At home, Beckham owns a fleet of 15 cars, including a Porsche, a Hummer and a Lincoln Navigator.
"He should use his celebrity status to make people aware of the damage that traveling can cause to the planet," a Carbon Trust spokesman said, according to the report. "With all his money he should be using it at least to reduce his own footprint. He has more freedom of choice when it comes to methods of traveling. He could also choose greener cars."
Peter Cranie, a spokesman of England's Green Party said, "A celeb like Becks, who claims the need to travel on such a massive scale, should be making an effort to counteract the damage he is doing."
