Heavy/Getty Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger took to Instagram on July 16 to ask her 5.8 million followers for their support to "protect" Mauna Kea, an active volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger took to Instagram on July 16 to ask her 5.8 million followers for their support to “protect” Mauna Kea, an active volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii.
“August 2019 I went up to Mauna Kea to help raise awareness and join the movement of protecting her, our most sacred mountain, the tallest mountain on earth,” Scherzinger, 45, wrote.
The tallest mountain on Earth is Mount Everest, but Mauna Kea is “the tallest sea mountain in the world,” according to Hawaii.com. It’s nearly 14,000 feet above sea level and more than “33,000 feet from the bottom of the ocean floor, the website says.
“Today we need 20,000 signatures on this petition to support the cause by August 1st!” she continued. “We must keep Mauna Kea protected from being destroyed by the building of the thirty meter TMT telescope.”
Scherzinger said the movement is about more than protecting Mauna Kea.
“This is more than just one mountain, one issue, it’s a global movement and we must stick together in all things for change to happen,” the “Masked Singer” judge wrote on Instagram. “Please help us preserve and protect mother nature and our sacred lands for the present and future generations.”
As of July 17, there were more than 482,000 signatures on the Change.org petition.
Scherzinger appeared on “Dancing With the Stars” in 2010 during season 10 and was paired with professional dancer Derek Hough. They came in first place, being awarded the Mirror Ball championship. With six Mirror Ball trophies, Hough is the most-winning “DWTS” professional.
What Is the TMT Telescope?
There are 13 telescopes on the top of Mauna Kea, but activists want to stop the addition of the Thirty-Meter Telescope, or “TMT.”
It can generate pictures “12 times sharper than the Hubble Space Telescope and four times sharper than the new James Webb Space Telescope,” per the TMT’s website.
Heavy reached out to Scherzinger for further comment, but didn’t immediately hear back.
Some People Called Scherzinger Out
One of the top responses to Scherzinger’s post is from a social media user who accused the singer of being a hypocrite.
“Aren’t you trying to build a huge house on Hawaiian land that locals are protesting,” they wrote. “You blocked access and the view with a giant gate.”
Last year, Scherzinger’s Dream Home Trust purchased a plot of land and requested a permit to build on home on the property, per Hawaiian News Now.
But board members int the area “unanimously rejected” the permit, the outlet reported on July 13. Residents are concerned about what will happen to their taxes, what kind of building she will construct and “cultural concerns,” Keone Machado, Neighborhood Board second vice chair, told the outlet.
Scherzinger’s team issued a statement to Hawaiian News Now, saying she wants to work with the city to find a resolution.
“It’s incredibly important to me to approach this process with integrity and in a way that honors our heritage, supporting the traditions and regulations designed to protect our one hānau (birth sands) of Hawai’i nei,” her statement said, per the outlet. “My team is working diligently to ensure that all concerns raised are acknowledged and addressed appropriately.”