Jed: Oil Tycoon and Green Energy Advocate
Today’s political debates around fossil fuels and green energy remind me of a story about my friend, a man named Jed.
Jed was born and raised in West Virginia…some called him a genuine Mountaineer. He grew up poor, and as an adult, he could barely keep his family fed.
But Jed never lost his faith. He never lost his positive outlook on life. He never dove into self-pity or victimhood. Instead, he continued to work hard, knowing that his opportunity would one day come.
One day, while Jed was hunting rabbit, the most miraculous thing happened. An errant shot pierced the earth, and actually unleashed a crude oil deposit that was so large and so close to the surface, that Jed’s shot was enough to unleash a literal geiser of oil into the sky. Some old folk in the hills called it ‘bubblin’ crude’.
Luckily, the uncovered oil reserve was on Jed’s property. So for him, it was ‘black gold’.
Fast forward 3 years, Jed’s a billionaire. That fast…his life and family were changed, for generations to come.
Jed made sure to lift up all those around him with his newfound wealth. And while his kin were grateful for his generosity, they knew that Jed no longer belonged in the hills. They urged him to move to California. Where his wealth could be put to work, and he could network with those who might help him make the same difference in our country, that he had in his mountaintop home town.
Jed loaded up his truck, and picked the most high profile city he could find… And one that reminded him of his beloved mountains: Beverly Hills!
Jed arrived in California with great optimism. For the people he would meet, and the causes he could support. After all…Jed grew up poor, but he grew up grateful. It was never about money for Jed, but family and faith and service. Jed was hopeful to meet powerful and influential people who shared these same values.
He was sadly disappointed.
Now I’m not saying that there aren’t wonderful and giving people in California, but a strange thing happened when word of Jed’s oil fortune spread.
Instead of being welcomed because of his intention to give, he was vilified because of the source of his wealth.
In the greatest of ironies, Jed was prepared to fund a great many green energy initiatives, but his money was refused, because of “where it came from”.
You see, the people who were ‘behind’ the green energy movement were more caught up in idealism, than they were on actually making a difference.
Instead of embracing the resources of a man who believed that we could have a compromise between carbon-based energy and renewables, they demanded an “all or nothing” mentality. Anything less did not meet their standards. Jed could not be simultaneously in favor of utilizing American fossil fuel production, and investing into a future of reduced carbon emission.
All. Or. Nothing.
Jed advocated for a gradual reduction of our oil dependence, while maintaining our nation’s sovereignty.
Was there merit to the fears of CO2 accumulation in the atmosphere? Of course. But Jed believed that we shouldn’t crush our own economy or our hard-working middle class just for the sake of ‘saving the environment’. After all, he’d seen environmental alarmists give deadline after deadline for our demise.
Jed understood that this issue could not and should not be guided by instant gratification. It isn’t a ‘quick fix’. He thought we needed to play the ‘long game’.
He wanted people to realize that oil was not evil, and that green energy wasn’t either…and that is certainly isn’t utopia.
He thought there could be compromise. He thought we could use the wealth of our oil reserves to invest into jobs and education and infrastructure…and also into cleaner burning technologies AND sustainable green initiatives. At the same time.
He believed he could be an advocate for BOTH oil production AND green energy. Why did it have to be all or nothing? Why couldn’t we take a practical approach?
After all…this is the greatest country on earth, with the brightest minds and the innate ability and common purpose to change the world for good. Right?
It might take 30, 40, 50 years, maybe more. But if we START, we can make progress without breaking the backs of the common man. Especially those mountaineers that he calls kin.
He wondered why it HAD to be overnight. He wondered why it HAD to be all or nothing.
Sadly, he found no logical answers when he asked his environmental contacts these questions. Only emotional diatribes and the desire to appear virtuous. Some call it virtue signaling.
For the next 20 years, Jed remained in California…investing into startups, funding philanthropic causes and being a mentor to young people trying to change the world.
He recently moved to Texas, where he felt the political environment was more suited his balanced sensibilities. And he still hopes that our people can come together, to overlook short term political, financial or social gain, in favor of a balanced approach to making our world, AND our nation..strong, secure and prosperous. As do I.
What a concept, eh?
