Trump & Musk Foster Environmental Chaos

By Donald A. Collins | 12 December 2024
Church and State

(Credit: YouTube / screengrab)

At this critical time in Earth’s environmental crises, those having maximum power, wealth and leadership could make careful analysis of the best next steps. Thus, the two people perhaps most equipped in today’s world to lead turn out to be completely wrong about the environment and seem to be doing what they’re doing in the pursuit of personal interests rather than in working on engineering the long-term survival of most people in the world, but they are particularly responsible for the behavior of the United States, the world’s leading polluter.

The UN COP has warned countless times that the world is investing in inadequate sums in eliminating environmental difficulties in the near-term future. At the last COP meeting only $300 billion annually was committed by the world‘s major nations to climate improvement through 2035 when in fact, it has been estimated by most qualified experts that the amount required to do the job will be far higher perhaps a trillion a year.

The 2024 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the 12 largest nations was about $180 trillion a year.

Read the data here.

The genesis for this behavior has been clearly outlined in numerous articles about the two named in my headline.

Here I count on two short essays prepared by ChatGPT:

Donald Trump’s labeling of climate change as a “hoax” has been a hallmark of his political rhetoric, sparking widespread controversy and debate. Throughout his presidency and beyond, Trump often dismissed the scientific consensus on climate change, arguing that it was a fabrication designed to undermine U.S. economic interests, particularly in the energy sector. His stance reflected a broader skepticism of environmental regulation and the prioritization of economic growth over ecological sustainability.

Trump’s dismissal of climate change often hinged on economic arguments, particularly his support for the fossil fuel industry. He frequently criticized international agreements like the Paris Climate Accord, which he described as unfair to the United States. By withdrawing the U.S. from the accord in 2017, Trump emphasized his belief that environmental policies were tools used by foreign competitors to hinder America’s economic power.

However, Trump’s position has faced significant criticism from scientists, environmentalists, and policymakers worldwide. The overwhelming scientific consensus holds that climate change is real, driven by human activity, and poses a severe threat to ecosystems, economies, and human health. Critics argue that dismissing climate change as a hoax undermines efforts to address the escalating crisis, including rising global temperatures, extreme weather events, and sea-level rise.

Trump’s rhetoric also had broader cultural implications, fueling skepticism of science and environmental policy among his supporters. This polarization has made it more challenging to achieve bipartisan solutions to environmental challenges in the U.S.

In retrospect, Trump’s characterization of climate change as a hoax is emblematic of a broader conflict between economic priorities and environmental stewardship. As the world grapples with the consequences of a warming planet, the debate underscores the importance of reconciling economic growth with sustainable practices to ensure a viable future.

Here is ChatGPT again:

Elon Musk has recently moderated his stance on climate change, emphasizing concerns that predictions about its impacts are overly “pessimistic” and might undermine credibility. He continues to advocate for a transition to sustainable energy but suggests a more measured approach, noting that the world has “20 years or so” to adopt sustainable practices, including electric vehicles and renewable energy sources. Musk has also voiced concerns about overregulation of fossil fuels, arguing for a balanced strategy that ensures economic and environmental sustainability.

These shifts have drawn criticism, with some accusing him of downplaying urgent climate issues. Musk’s recent collaborations and endorsements of conservative politicians, including Donald Trump, have further complicated perceptions of his environmental commitments”.

But this November 8th NY Times article entitled Musk Believes in Global Warming. Trump Doesn’t. Will That Change? further suggests an ambivalence that may had hardened Trump’s Best Buddy!

The Tesla billionaire is a key figure in the president-elect’s orbit. One question is whether his views on climate and clean energy even if moderated will have any sway.

Elon Musk has described himself as “pro-environment” and “super pro climate.” But he also threw himself wholeheartedly into electing as president someone who has dismissed global warming as a hoax.

Now, as President-elect Donald J. Trump prepares to enter the White House, one big question is how much sway — if any — Mr. Musk’s views on climate change and clean energy might have in the new administration.

During the campaign, Mr. Trump noticeably softened his rhetoric on electric vehicles as he grew more friendly with Mr. Musk, the billionaire chief executive of Tesla. After months of bashing plug-in cars and promising to halt their sales, Mr. Trump backtracked slightly this summer.

“I’m constantly talking about electric vehicles, but I don’t mean I’m against them. I’m totally for them,” he told a crowd in Michigan. “I’ve driven them, and they are incredible, but they’re not for everybody.”

Just his wealthy backers!!

Continuing this quote: “At the time, Mr. Musk claimed credit for Mr. Trump’s apparent shift, telling Tesla shareholders at a June meeting, “I can be persuasive.” Referring to Mr. Trump, he said, “A lot of his friends now have Teslas, and they all love it. And he’s a huge fan of the Cybertruck. So I think those may be contributing factors.”

Read the article in full here.

Thus we can hope for some support from Musk but don’t hold your breath waiting for cleaner air!

Let me close with suggestions which you may have already consumed, which are he various programs on Netflix about Bill Gates. One is entitled “Inside Bill’s Brain: Decoding Bill Gates” starting with his earliest childhood days through his development of Microsoft on to his thoughts about next steps.

The initial story establishes his incredible work ethic and his capacity to absorb complex subjects which lead him to solutions. Three initial accomplishments besides Microsoft which gave him the money to solve hard problems with no prospects of profits except benefiting the users who needed help.

Here’s one success story and you can find the others:

Advancing sanitation: 10 years of reinventing the toilet for the future

Growing up in modest circumstances in Côte D’Ivoire, we didn’t have a decent toilet at home. I didn’t even know this was a problem. Only years later, at university, after I talked to friends studying medicine and learned how diseases travel through contamination and exposure to feces, did I realize that the deaths of many in my community, including several of my siblings, should have been prevented by better sanitation.

Sanitation inequality: How lack of toilet access impacts global health

Sadly, my family is not alone in this tragedy. Nearly 250 years after the invention of the flush toilet, 3.5 billion people—almost half the world’s population—have no choice but to use unsafe sanitation facilities. As a result, half a million children under age 5 perish every year from diseases like typhoid, diarrhea, and cholera. Many more people become sick, resulting in an estimated US$223 billion a year in health costs and lost productivity. Bringing safe, affordable sanitation to the world would vastly improve the quality of life for the billions without it. It would also act as a “super-vaccine” that would effectively end the spread of many deadly diseases, just as it already has in places where flush toilets are the norm.

Ten years later, we are closer than ever to building a world where safe sanitation services are a basic human right enjoyed by everyone.

A call to action to reinvent the toilet

That’s why, in 2011, the foundation embarked on a challenge to “reinvent the toilet” to transform our sanitation industry. The future toilet, we hoped, would kill dangerous pathogens, potentially transform waste into something of value for low-resource settings, and require no water, electricity, or traditional emptying to remain sanitary. This technology would have great value for cities and countries in the developing world, where common approaches like pit latrines can pose major public health and environmental risks if they are not safely managed. Given that an average toilet (for households with the means to own a flush toilet) can consume up to 50% of a family’s potable water, new, inventive toilets can help reduce the pressure on water demand as cities grow.

Read the full story here.

Just shows the world’s elites may not be completely as cynical as Trump and Musk’s lack of focus on anything but their accumulation of power.

Gates’ wealth allowed their nonprofit funding so far that added development of two other hugely important capacities: the ability to take sewage and convert it into clear drinking water and use the sludge to grow eatable crops. Another was the development of safe use of nuclear energy, derailed by the disaster at Fukushima but ready to adopt as the absurdity of Trump’s Drill Baby Drill” emphasis in not cutting fossil fuel’s global warming. Stay tuned.

Former US Navy officer, banker and venture capitalist, Donald A. Collins, a free lance writer living in Washington, DC, has spent over 50 years working for women’s reproductive health as a board member and/or officer of numerous family planning organizations including Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Guttmacher Institute, Family Health International and Ipas. Yale under graduate, NYU MBA. He is the author of “From the Dissident Left: A Collection of Essays 2004-2013”, “Trump Becoming Macbeth: Will our democracy survive?”, “We Humans Overwhelm Our Earth: 11 or 2 Billion by 2100?”, “What Can Be Done Now to Save Habitable Life on Planet Earth?”, “Vote”, “Can Homo Sapiens Survive?”, “Will Choice and Democracy Win?”, “Can Our U.S. Survive 8 Plus Billion of Us”, “Economic Growth: A Cancer on all Earthly Life”, “On the Precipice of Political Disaster in 2024”, “Democracy at Red State Risk”, “Does Trump Go to Jail or to The Oval Office?” and “Trump: Pardon or Punish?: The Nixon Precedence Was Not A Trump Coup Denied!”.

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