While others only talk and theorize about our energy needs and our future, T. Boone Pickens continues to put his considerable money where his mouth is.

Critics can find a lot to complain about where T. Boone Pickens is concerned. But while he might have cut a few corners and stepped on some toes in amassing his wealth, the noted Oklahoma State University benefactor and national energy promoter now seems to be pursuing a goal worthy of broad support.

On Oct. 29, Pickens will return to Oklahoma State for a town hall meeting about how the nation should deal with the energy crisis in the years ahead. While it’s true he may profit from his current crusade, he also readily acknowledges that, at his age, he may not be around long enough to see major gains in the energy field. Nonetheless, he is a notable spokesman for something we all need to think more about.

“The single biggest crisis facing America today is without question our ever-growing dependence on foreign oil from hostile nations,” says Pickens. “We continue to put our economy and security in danger. Recent developments in the Middle East with Iran once again underscore the grave risk our country faces if we do not move to address this issue.”

Adds Pickens: “The time is right and we are seeing positive movement in Washington, D.C., to reverse decades of inaction with smart initiatives to use American-produced energy sources such as natural gas, wind and solar to power our economy.”

He plans to discuss such issues at length in the OSU meeting, and the school and its officials are rightfully delighted to back the venture. They see the need for such leadership.

Says OSU President Burns Hargis, “No one in recent memory has done more to bring energy to the forefront of our nation’s conscience than Boone Pickens. His passionate effort has literally changed the conversation about energy to focus on our need to build a new energy future based on American alternative and renewable energy sources. … to place America on a more prosperous track in the future, and in so doing stop the massive transfer of wealth overseas that is now taking place every month to the tune of $25 billion.”

Oklahoma State University is indeed fortunate to have such a generous and prominent alumnus. Pickens has been a strong and effective spokesman concerning our nation’s energy situation, but it’s too bad he does not include coal (our nation’s biggest source of energy) and nuclear power in his list of sources that need to be more effectively utilized.