Bernie Sanders Promises To Offset CO2 From His Private Jet Flights

Self-proclaimed Socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders pledged to offset carbon emissions from his 2020 presidential campaign travel by donating contributions to renewable energy projects, The Huffington Post reports.

“Bernie Sanders is a champion in the fight for climate justice and, like him, we know we need to address our emissions through action, not just rhetoric,” Sanders’s campaign manager Faiz Shakir told HuffPo in a statement. “We are proud to lead the way in the fight against climate change by acting boldly to move our energy system away from fossil fuels and towards sustainable energy sources.”

The pledge follows a March 15 announcement that Sanders’s campaign would be the first presidential campaign to unionize under organized labor.

Sanders has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to travel across the country on private jets during past campaigns. During his 2018 Senate reelection campaign, Sanders spent roughly $300,000 on private jets alone. After losing the 2016 presidential primary to Hillary Clinton, Sanders spent about $100,000 from Clinton’s campaign funds on private jet travel to stump for the Democratic nominee.

Sanders is touting his progressive bona fides in an increasingly crowded Democratic primary field. Sanders is making early attempts to lock up his base against fellow Democrats who are increasingly showing favor to progressive positions.

Democratic presidential candidates Robert “Beto” O’Rourke, Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren and Kirsten Gillibrand have all expressed openness to packing the Supreme Court with liberal justices to influence decisions.