Opinion: This is not ‘goodbye America,’ Musk could help planet

People were visibly shaken following the election, and I saw an online post that said, “Goodbye America.”
No and never. There is an old song “Pick Yourself Up,” that tells you to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again. I found it on YouTube and it can give us a lift and more.
We are always America and those of us who individually belong to nonprofits and organizations doing exemplary work know with clear resolve — we are Americans and our business goes on as usual. We will feed the poor. Fight for the environment and best sustainability practices. Help communities devastated by climate events. We will continue to bond to save our oceans and our freshwater. And so much more.
Yes, it is a new day, but for many of us, it will not change one beat of our work to help our fellow Americans.
I received a text this morning from one of my environmental warriors, who said, “I’m being thankful for all the good people in my life and all the good work we’ve done. We did everything we could. So, one thing at a time. We can continue to spread peace and trees.”
It offered an immediate mindset U-turn. Thank you, dear friend.
For me, we know climate change has been destroying our world. That will not change. The hurricanes will continue in ferocity from warming CO2 acidifying oceans. John Morales, a veteran Miami meteorologist, was brought to tears while watching Hurricane Milton approach Florida. “This is just…horrific,” he said. Keeping his composure, Morales talked about the storm’s wind speeds and the fact that it was gaining strength as it passed over “record hot” waters in the Gulf of Mexico. “You know what’s driving that, I don’t need to tell you,” Morales said. “Global warming. Climate change.”
Our country and all countries are financially buried by each hurricane’s aftermath.
But then I had a eureka moment. As a climate educator who had just been in New York City forming my new Podcast Project COOL, I was also part of the press seeking to report on Prince William’s Climate Earthshot Prize. There I was, in New York City, filming my first climate podcast and meeting people from all over the world and I realized that one of the contributors for Prince William’s Earthshot Prize has been Elon Musk.
It appears Musk has deftly wiggled his way into an administration that has not been friendly to climate education. But Musk built a car to reduce climate emissions. I don’t think he is going to make a U-turn and change his efforts to cool our planet.
It occurred to me, if you were passionate about making a change for climate change and you wanted to get as much bang for your climate buck as possible, wouldn’t it make sense to get in the ring and support a man where you could make greater strides within an administration?
I believe Musk’s long-term goal was to make electric cars affordable for the mass market. I think Musk believed that sustainable energy was fundamental and that autonomous cars could save millions of lives. In his “Master Plan, Part Deux” memo, Musk explained that Tesla’s goal was to showcase the possibilities of electric vehicles, energy storage systems, and solar PV roof tiles.
I am planning my next climate podcast featuring the local exemplary work of Frontier Park’s LEAF RELEAF’s urban forest infrastructure climate change effort.
After that, I will lead Podcast Project COOL’s next podcast with Prince William’s Earthshot Prize. On Nov. 6th, the finalists received one million euros to continue to scale their outstanding climate change efforts. “We want to make this the decade in which we transform the world for good, one solution at a time, from the ground up,” Prince William said in a speech on stage in a giant reusable dome that was put up for the ceremony near Cape Town’s harbor.
So, remember that old Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers song, “Pick yourself up. Dust yourself off, and start all over again.”
We are Americans and all part of this book of American history. You can bet we will continue making amazing history!
Diane Esser, of Girard, is a documentary producer; founder of Plant it Forward; and event coordinator for Butterflies For Kids and Address Earth Kids Environmental Program.