Dear River, You’ve only been around for three Earth Days, but your tiny lifetime has been a hell of a ride, kid. As a member of Generation Alpha I like to think you’ll read these letters with intent as you turn 30 in 2050. By then, you’ll know what became of the American experiment in the Age of Unreason and how fast the weather became unrecognizable.
Running Tide, which uses the natural carbon-sucking power of oysters and kelp, is among the finalists for the $100 million Carbon XPRIZE, funded by Elon Musk. Back when there were just a few Teslas on the road, I went to interview Musk in his modest garage headquarters on a side street in San Carlos, California, and I still remember the snap in my neck the first time I punched the Roadster’s pedal.