Collegians Director Adam Houser spoke to the newly formed Oil & Gas Club at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio to discuss how capitalism and free market energy save the planet.
The talk took place as an Arctic blast had just surged through the region, however, making the temperature outside a frigid 15 degrees, not including any wind chill.
Inside, however, the students sat calm and comfortable; not even having to wear any coats or hats. They were fully confident that the heat would stay on, thanks to coal, oil, and natural gas.
“Thank God for oil and gas,” declared Houser as he started his talk, much to the students’ amusement.
“CFACT and their principles of free market environmentalism and intelligent energy solutions serve as a beacon of reason among college activists today,” said Jacob Kramer, president of the Oil and Gas Club and a new student intern as part of CFACT’s Driessen Fellows program. “Our organization could not resonate with this message more. CFACT coming to our meeting was an excellent way to develop and exchange ideas aiming to tackle some of the biggest issues facing the United States and world as a whole.”
“We’ve almost got it too good,” Houser said after. “Our energy is so reliable, many students fail to understand how amazing and unique it is for our country to be able to flip on the heat or the light and have it work immediately. Many in the world don’t have it that good. Those students advocating for a Green New Deal don’t understand that wind and solar cannot heat all these homes in the peak winter evening hours without coal, gas, oil, and nuclear back up power.”
Houser also discussed the technological innovations that are delivering solutions to cleaning up ocean pollution in the Pacific, and how property rights through private incentives are saving species like the Scimitar Horned Oryx, a type of antelope, from extinction.
After the presentation, one student asked: “How can our club continue to grow and have success? What advice do you have for us?”
“I think half the battle is realizing some people are never going to like what you have to say,” Houser responded. “But that doesn’t mean you sacrifice your principles or retreat from your mission. Keep speaking out, but do it in a way that’s appealing, and you’ll be surprised of the people who are on the fence who will come to your side.”
The Oil and Gas Club at Miami University in Ohio is going to be partnering with CFACT going forward on getting Collegians excited for what fossil fuels can and has done for prosperity around the world.