Some people have switched to reusable water bottles, others have started cycling to work, but Arnold Schwarzenegger has done his bit for the environment by getting Greta Thunberg a Tesla Model 3 car.
Both the actor and the 16-year-old are passionate about taking action against climate change, so while Thunberg and the Terminator might seem like an unlikely pairing, they do actually have some things in common.
The young activist sailed to the US last month in an effort to avoid the climate impact of flying and since arriving she has attended a number of climate change protests, as well as addressing the world with a powerful speech at the UN Climate Summit.
With plans to take on Canada next, the 16-year-old said Schwarzenegger offered to loan his electric car so she could drive across the border.
The actor-turned-politician owns a Kreisel Electric modified H1, reportedly claimed to be the world’s first electric version of the SUV. It’s said to be his ‘favorite car to drive’ but it soon became apparent getting the car to Thunberg wouldn’t be practical.
Instead, Schwarzenegger arranged for Thunberg to have a Tesla Model 3 at her disposal.
According to Car and Driver, a spokesperson explained:
Getting his electric Hummer across the country would be quite a challenge so it isn’t his personal car. It’s a Tesla Model 3.
Schwarzenegger had reportedly told Thunberg to call him ‘if she needed anything’ and when it came to looking for environmentally friendly transportation he was more than happy to step in.
The 72-year-old volunteered to help arrange a more climate-friendly vehicle during her stay and now, the spokesman said, thanks to Schwarzenegger’s assistance Thunberg ‘can travel fully electric through the United States and Canada.’ Tesla’s website explains the Model 3 can travel 348 miles on a single charge.
The two environmentalists met earlier this year in Austria, after which Schwarzenegger admitted he was ‘starstruck’ by the 16-year-old.
The actor is just one of a number of big names who have shown their support for Thunberg; others include Leonardo DiCaprio, Barack Obama and Chris Hemsworth.
Thunberg has inspired millions to protest for the planet, though she’s still facing backlash from a number of people who refuse to listen and learn from a teenager.
Donald Trump mocked the 16-year-old after her UN speech and Jeremy Clarkson, the very same man who punched someone over a food order, has called Thunberg ‘spoiled’.
Thankfully, the internet responded to her haters perfectly by creating the Greta Thunberg Helpline for Adults Angry at a Child, as well as swapping Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ slogan for ‘Make America Greta Again’.
It will be amazing to see where Thunberg’s mission takes her in future!
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.