To My Future Children,

I hope that your generation is surrounded by a healthier environment than ours is today. The U.S. and other large countries are currently emitting a large amount of CO2 into the atmosphere which is quickening the rate of climate change within our world. Environmentalists have defined 9 planetary boundaries which define safe levels of pollution within which human beings can tolerate. We have currently surpassed 4 of the 9 planetary boundaries and are well on our way to the thresholds, which when crossed can’t be recovered. My generation is becoming increasingly aware of the environmental issues which we have been supporting with our American lifestyles. We are making many efforts to try to reverse the progression of pollution by educating ourselves of which actions of ours cause the most pollution.

Hopefully climate change has been reversed by the time you are reading this and the glaciers have been restored, land-system change has been reversed, and ocean acidification has been reduced. I hope that your generation learns from the previous generations mistakes of over-consumption and ignorance of sustainable living. We currently aren’t directly affected by the changes in climate we are producing, the poorest of countries are those that are directly affected by the shift in climate. Elon Musk has undertaken the huge burden of inventing sustainable transport and generally has a very positive image of our future. Within the past month he has created a company which offers an affordable solar roof which is more durable and cheaper than regular roof and can provide excess power to your home and vehicles (assuming they’re electric). I hope that by the time your reading this message that solar roofs and electric vehicles have become the norm, and somebody has found a sustainable alternative to jet fuel in airplanes.

One thing I highly recommend is to try your best to eat sustainably, avoid drinking from water bottles, and urge your parents to use wind/solar energy to power your home (if that isn’t the norm yet). I hope this letter finds you well and urge you to write to your children of the current state of the environment with suggestions of how to improve.

Best,

Michael