London: Actor-turned-politician Arnold Schwarzenegger has come under criticism for commuting three hours to work each day in his private jet.

Schwarzenegger, the governor of California, lives almost 380 miles away from his office and his commute to work costs hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. Environmentalists are also unhappy about him using a jet on a daily basis, contactmusic.com reports.

Denis Hayes, president of environmental group Bullit Foundation, said: "He has been very bold on environmental initiatives, so it is sad to see him undercut that. If you are going to be talking about an issue, you should be living the reality you are trying to embrace."

Defending his means of commuting, Schwarzenegger said: "The question is how can I be with my family, because that is extremely important - to be with my kids. They are all growing up. They are in their teens. They need their father around. I felt my not being at home everyday took a toll on my family. So what I am trying to do is find that balance between the family and running the state."