DiCaprio Called A 'Hypocrite' For Taking Private Jets To Collect Environmental Award

This week, the activist actor Leo DiCaprio flew to NYC in a private jet to collect his environmental award. Critics slammed him as "hypocritical" when he "expanded his carbon footprint by 8,000 miles when he obtained the honor, by taking a private jet from Cannes, then flying straight back to France on another jet for a model-packed fund-raiser a night later."

He had an interesting schedule. He was first at the Cannes Film Festival, then he was spotted partying at club Gotha on Monday with model Georgia Fowler. After that, he flew back to New York for the Riverkeeper Fishermen's Ball at Chelsea Piers Wednesday. He got an honour from the clean-water advocacy group and Robert De Niro.

Only a day later, he came back for amfAR's glitzy Cinema Against AIDS gala in France, where he gave a speech.

DiCaprio's foundation has announced that it would be giving $15 million to environmental causes at this year's World Economic Forum. He had remarked during his Oscar acceptance speech: "Climate change is real. It is happening right now, it is the most urgent threat facing our entire species."

However, he has come under fire for his use of private jets and yachts. Environmental analyst Robert Rapier, who said his jet-setting lifestyle "diminishes his moral authority to lecture others on reducing their own carbon emissions," listed some of his trips.

Rapier pointed out that "[Caprio] demonstrates exactly why our consumption of fossil fuels continues to grow. It's because everyone loves the combination of cost and convenience they offer. Alternatives usually require a sacrifice of one form or another." He then added, "Everybody says, 'I've got a good reason for consuming what I consume' . . . It's the exact same rationalization for billions of people."

However, one of his supporters argued that he did not charter his own flights. He only "hitched a ride with someone already flying back [and] to Cannes. Hitching a ride was the only way he could make it in time for both events."

But the amfAR gala raised $25 million, including $500,000 for an auctioned stay at his Palm Springs, Calif., home, even as the Riverkeeper event hauled in $1.6 million.

There was no comment from his rep