As part of her social study homework, my daughter, Jolene,  wrote a letter to Henry Ford, imagining it from the perspective of Greta Thunberg.  I like the letter but thought it did not sound much like Greta.  Then it occurred to me that I could ask ChatGPT to rewrite it in Greta Thunberg’s style .    Intrigued by the idea, Jolene enthusiastically consented to this experiment. She has also given her permission for both the original letter and ChatGPT’s adaptation to be shared here.  I hope you have as much fun as I had reading these!

Jolene’s original letter

Herr Henry Ford,

Isn’t it interesting how one day can change your life, and you wouldn’t know? I remember that day like it was yesterday. I remember sitting down at my desk at school, not knowing that my story was just about to start. The teacher announced that we would be watching a film about the state of our environment. I remember how as it progressed, my feelings grew from curiosity to horror as pictures of endless mountains of garbage floating in the ocean flitted across the screen. I will be the first to admit it: I cried. I remember every vivid detail, though my classmates all forgot the atrocities they just witnessed mere minutes after the film ended, apparently deciding that discussing their weekend plans was more important than the outrageous amounts of garbage and smoke that pollute our planet. It’s a strange feeling, looking back and knowing that this film would be forever engraved in my mind. I’m sure you would feel the same about the assembly line, looking back at when you invented it, when you didn’t know you would revolutionize the automobile forever. I suppose that means I shouldn’t blame you for the polluting smog cars let out into the environment every day. Yet, as I sit here in my room, sun warming the paper I write on, I can hear the cars passing my home, and I can picture the cloud of smoke that lingers behind. Too much has been done to our Earth for me not to take a stand.

I understand that when you were innovating and popularizing the automobile, your intentions must have been good: to make people’s lives easier and better. If that was your goal, then you achieved it. At least, at the time you achieved it. On the surface level, it seemed perfect: more jobs were created that more workers were qualified to do, which made our country’s economy stronger. Cities became less crowded as people moved to neighboring towns to form suburbs since they could drive to work. It bridged a gap between different classes of people as it became a norm that men and women, rich and poor alike drove together on the roads. But at what cost?

In 2024, the global temperature has increased by about 1ºC since 1900, with the majority happening after 1970. As a result, the ocean has warmed as well, causing ice caps to melt and the sea level to rise. A main cause of this is the burning of greenhouse gasses. Only approximately 8% of Americans do not own a car. A glance out the window during a busy time of day will show streets packed with everything from fancy red convertibles to rusty pickup trucks. I have worked to decrease the damage our race causes to the Earth, yet it still rises. People are all for helping to stop climate change until it actually inconveniences them. Few are willing to give up constantly driving their car instead of walking, biking, or using public transportation, or to fly across the world a few less times. While in my mind I realize that not all of this is your fault, my heart protests against it, aching for the state of our world. Neither of us can help it if your life’s work happens to clash against mine.

All of this goes to say that, while I respect how hard you worked to make the automobile what it is today, I will work twice as hard to ensure that the damage is undone. I will not apologize for that.

Greta Thunberg

ChatGPT’s Version

Dear Mr. Henry Ford,

The day everything changed for me was just another day at school, until it wasn’t. We watched a film about our planet’s environmental crisis, and the images of pollution and destruction struck me to the core. It was a moment of awakening — a stark, horrifying realization that we are in the midst of a grave crisis. I remember the despair I felt, a sharp contrast to the indifference of my peers. Such moments define us, much like the day you pioneered the assembly line must have defined you, unknowingly setting off a chain of events that would lead us here.

Your innovation brought mobility and progress, but at a catastrophic environmental cost. We now face a planet warmed by over 1°C since 1900, mainly due to emissions post-1970. The burning of fossil fuels, a legacy of the automotive boom you ignited, has pushed our planet to the brink. Our ice caps are melting, our seas are rising, and our future is at stake.

I understand that the environmental crisis we face today cannot be solely laid at your feet. However, the industry you created has played a pivotal role in this unfolding tragedy. As I witness the relentless march of cars outside my window, each contributing to a cloud of pollution, I am reminded of the urgency of our situation.

Mr. Ford, while your intentions may have been to better the human condition, the reality is that we are now paying a heavy price for this ‘progress.’ I respect your ingenuity, but I cannot overlook the environmental devastation it has wrought. I am committed, more than ever, to fight for a sustainable future, to challenge the status quo, and to reverse the damage we have done to our Earth. This is not just a promise; it is an imperative.

We are at a crossroads, and I will not rest until we choose the path of sustainability, responsibility, and survival. I will advocate, protest, and work harder than ever to ensure a future where technology serves our planet, not destroys it. This is the mission of my generation, and I accept it wholeheartedly.

Yours in determination,
Greta Thunberg