
Twitter Roasts Shell for "Gaslighting" Consumers With Emissions Poll
By Sophie HirshNov. 3 2020, Published 11:20 a.m. ET
Sometimes, you just need to take a good, hard look at yourself in the mirror. We're talking to you, Shell.
This week, oil and gas corporation, Shell, took a break from polluting the planet to ask people on Twitter how they were willing to change their individual habits to help reduce emissions. As one might expect, Shell's Twitter poll regarding emission reduction did not go over well.
Shell is under fire for blaming climate change on consumers in a Twitter poll.

On Monday, Nov. 2, Shell asked Twitter followers, "What are you willing to change to help reduce emissions?" in a poll. The four possible responses were as follows: Offset emissions, stop flying, buy electric vehicle, renewable energy. We'll just kindly ignore the lack of context for the fourth option. (Really, do what with renewable energy? Demand that Shell's entire portfolio be shifted to renewable energy? Now we're talkin').
📊 What are you willing to change to help reduce emissions? #EnergyDebate
— Shell (@Shell) November 2, 2020
Out of Shell's 551,000 Twitter followers, only 199 people participated in the poll (for the record, the vague option of renewable energy was the winner).
But the poll's measly results are not the most notable responses here — those came from environmentalists who quickly latched onto the tweet, accusing Shell of gaslighting consumers and unjustly putting the blame on them for emissions.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called out the oil company.
I’m willing to hold you accountable for lying about climate change for 30 years when you secretly knew the entire time that fossil fuels emissions would destroy our planet 😇 https://t.co/ekj1Va1Cp0
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 2, 2020
"I’m willing to hold you accountable for lying about climate change for 30 years when you secretly knew the entire time that fossil fuels emissions would destroy our planet," responded Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, followed by an angel face emoji.
The audacity of Shell asking YOU what YOU’RE willing to do to reduce emissions. 🙄
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 2, 2020
They’re showing you RIGHT HERE how the suggestion that indiv choices - not systems - are a main driver of climate change is a fossil fuel talking point.
Yes, make good choices. Reign in FF corps.
"The audacity of Shell asking YOU what YOU’RE willing to do to reduce emissions," Ocasio-Cortez added, along with an eye roll emoji. "They’re showing you RIGHT HERE how the suggestion that indiv choices - not systems - are a main driver of climate change is a fossil fuel talking point. Yes, make good choices. Reign in FF [fossil fuel] corps."
AOC is referring to evidence that Shell (among other oil and companies, such as Exxon, BP, and Chevron) was well aware of how severely fossil fuels caused climate change as far back as the 1980s, but covered up the data in pursuit of profit.
Greta Thunberg has no tolerance for polluters.
I don’t know about you, but I sure am willing to call-out-the-fossil-fuel-companies-for-knowingly-destroying-future-living-conditions -for-countless-generations-for profit-and-then-trying-to-distract-people-and-prevent-real-systemic-change-through-endless greenwash-campaigns. https://t.co/O3ReJPv81Q
— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) November 2, 2020
Climate activist, Greta Thunberg, responded to the tweet as well. "I don’t know about you, but I sure am willing to call-out-the-fossil-fuel-companies-for-knowingly-destroying-future-living-conditions -for-countless-generations-for profit-and-then-trying-to-distract-people-and-prevent-real-systemic-change-through-endless greenwash-campaigns," the 17-year-old wrote.
As Greta mentions, the fossil fuel industry has consistently shifted the blame for emissions onto consumers, when in actuality, the industry is the one responsible for this crisis in many ways. This goes back to BP promoting the phrase "carbon footprint" in the early 2000s, all while sweeping evidence of fossil fuels causing climate change under the rug.
Twitter users immediately berated Shell following the poll.
Many other Twitter users responded to Shell's tweet, calling the company out for being hypocritical and misleading consumers. There are so many good tweets that will simultaneously give you a chuckle and make your heart hurt for the future of humanity on planet Earth. That being said, here are a few of our favorites.
I'll stop spilling 1,926 barrels of oil in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Will you match me? https://t.co/AOTzc9TKAA. https://t.co/xzL7QtjZC4
— Scott Dooley (@scottdools) November 2, 2020
this won't age well. https://t.co/nCJkeimZ25
— Alexandria Villaseñor is GETTING OUT THE VOTE! (@AlexandriaV2005) November 2, 2020
uh well i guess i'll use a reusable waterbottle https://t.co/sa5tCsmV4d pic.twitter.com/d5kYZqBKxm
— jordan (@JordanUhl) November 2, 2020
This is like Freddy Krueger asking what you’re willing to change to get better sleep. https://t.co/NA7WcsZMPG
— Bill Weir (@BillWeirCNN) November 2, 2020
driving slower, shopping less, maybe cutting back on paramilitaries https://t.co/xlVwD1ZPxG pic.twitter.com/QcE4P3Ix4g
— Daniel Nima Moattar (@danielmoattar) November 3, 2020
Royal Dutch Shell is #6 on the list of 90 companies responsible for 2/3 of greenhouse gas emissions since the dawn of the industrial era. Their cumulative emissions equal those of the country of 🇨🇦. https://t.co/EbbRqtExWO https://t.co/uLXUYHp1o3
— Prof. Katharine Hayhoe (@KHayhoe) November 2, 2020
https://t.co/5PQRQG8wPr pic.twitter.com/iVysuRqKGg
— aWildWatermelon (@aWildWatermelon) November 3, 2020
Y’all put the gas in gaslighting
— Luke Schumann (@lukeaschumann) November 3, 2020
Climate groups and organizations called Shell out, too.
We have an idea for you @Shell - How about you NOT greenlight 35 new oil and gas projects?
— 350 dot org (@350) November 2, 2020
And how about you not use individual carbon footprints as a weak excuse to hide the fact that you produce 1.7 million barrels per day of oil. https://t.co/2mznXbdIjk
How about you change your system to reduce emissions?
— Youth Strike 4 Climate Philippines 🌏🇵🇭 (@youth4climatePH) November 3, 2020
People are literally dying because of you and your dirty business. Now you're asking this question as if we are the one to blame with the emissions?
You asked the wrong question now people are coming for you! https://t.co/7aaOTe5Bls
.@Shell asking US to change? LOL!
— Amazon Watch (@amazonwatch) November 2, 2020
Bb please, look in the mirror, you're the toxic one in this relationship. #DismantleCapitalism #KeepItInTheGround https://t.co/8upnbvW0DX pic.twitter.com/9osOYYhc55
We’re willing to fight for climate justice and for people not to fall for your dirty tricks, @Shell. Individual choices matter, but you and the other fossil fuel companies are the ones responsible for the climate crisis the world is facing right now https://t.co/gkwhNat4QV
— Greenpeace (@Greenpeace) November 2, 2020
Did you know about this neat little search feature we have? https://t.co/F7yj4Cri0i pic.twitter.com/44bINFcyhO
— Ecosia (@Ecosia) November 3, 2020
What?
— Extinction Rebellion (@ExtinctionR) November 2, 2020
After we've finished laughing at your individual blaming PR failure you mean?
Probably,
Continue working for sufficient structural change -peoples' assemblies- to maintain a livable planet. https://t.co/SOB3sMmpnm
omg cute!! we’re still gonna prosecute your execs for lying to the public about climate change for 30 years though!!! 🙈 https://t.co/OJpgrwABj8
— Sunrise Movement 🌅 (@sunrisemvmt) November 2, 2020
Shell's response did not impress the critics.
Changing the energy system requires everyone to play their part. That’s what today’s #EnergyDebate was about. As for our part, we said last week that Shell will reshape its portfolio of assets and products to meet the cleaner energy needs of its customers in the coming decades.
— Shell (@Shell) November 2, 2020
"Changing the energy system requires everyone to play their part. That’s what today’s #EnergyDebate was about," Shell responded to the original tweet. "As for our part, we said last week that Shell will reshape its portfolio of assets and products to meet the cleaner energy needs of its customers in the coming decades."
If Shell truly wants to play its part, there are far more things the company can do besides hold a livestream.