Students Need Energy Literacy

For much of my adult life, I believed America’s energy future was obvious. Like many people, I supported what I thought was the only responsible path forward: an “all green, all the time” approach. I believed that if we simply invested enough in renewable energy, we could quickly replace conventional energy sources while making our nation cleaner, safer, and more prosperous. I never questioned whether the vision was technically achievable or whether there might be unintended consequences. It simply seemed like common sense.

Looking back, I realize that I was passionate—but not fully informed.

My professional and personal experiences prepared me to ask questions, solve problems, and communicate ideas. As a certified Social Studies and Computer Literacy teacher in both Louisiana and Missouri, I learned the importance of examining evidence before reaching conclusions. As a swim coach, I discovered that success comes from discipline, preparation, and helping young people reach their potential. As the father of three junior high and high school children, I became increasingly aware of how little practical energy education they were receiving, despite living in a world where energy powers virtually every aspect of modern life.

Professionally, I spent nearly thirty years in marketing, media, and publishing. I had the privilege of working with organizations such as The New York Times and Tribune Corporation before spending twenty-four years building and leading my own businesses. Throughout that journey, I learned how narratives are created, how public opinion is influenced, and how important it is to separate compelling stories from objective facts.

Eventually, my curiosity led me deeper into the subject of energy.

The more I researched, the more uncomfortable I became. I studied how electricity grids actually operate. I learned about baseload generation, grid reliability, transmission infrastructure, capacity factors, critical minerals, supply chains, and the enormous scale required to power a modern industrial society. I examined both the successes and limitations of every major energy source—not just renewables, but natural gas, oil, nuclear, hydroelectric power, and emerging technologies.

What I found surprised me.

The issue was never simply choosing between “green” energy and conventional energy. The real challenge was balancing the three-legged stool of affordability, reliability, and environmental responsibility simultaneously. I discovered that no energy source exists without tradeoffs. Every technology requires land, materials, manufacturing, transportation, maintenance, and eventual replacement. Every source contributes something valuable, but the inherent value of each source varies greatly when asked to shoulder a balanced load among affordability, reliability, and environmental responsibility.

My long-held assumptions collided with reality. That collision wasn’t political. It wasn’t ideological. It was educational.

I realized that millions of Americans—including students—were being asked to form opinions about one of the most important issues facing our country without ever learning how energy systems actually work. Students graduate understanding photosynthesis and the periodic table, yet many cannot explain how electricity reaches their homes, why reliability matters during severe weather, or why affordable energy affects everything from grocery prices to national security.

I became convinced that America did not simply have an energy challenge. It had an energy literacy challenge.

That realization led to the creation of Benergy, a high school and homeschool energy course developed through the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization Blue Energy Nation (BlueEnergyNation.org).

Benergy was designed to teach students how to think critically about energy, not to tell them what to think. Rather than promoting political slogans or one-size-fits-all solutions, Benergy encourages students to ask better questions, examine evidence, compare competing claims, and understand the complex tradeoffs involved in producing the energy that powers modern civilization.

The curriculum emphasizes three principles that every energy decision should strive to balance: affordability, reliability, and environmentally responsible, common-sense cleanliness. These principles are not competing goals but complementary ones. Truly successful energy policy should seek all three, recognizing that sacrificing one often creates unintended consequences for families, businesses, communities, and future generations.

As both an educator and a father, I believe students deserve more than sound bites and social media headlines. They deserve an honest, balanced education that prepares them to become informed citizens capable of making thoughtful decisions in a world where energy touches every aspect of life.

My journey from unquestioningly supporting an “all green, all the time” philosophy to becoming a founding member of Blue Energy Nation and creating Benergy was not a rejection of environmental stewardship. In many ways, it strengthened my commitment to it. I simply came to understand that lasting solutions require a complete understanding of the science, economics, engineering, and human realities involved.

Sometimes the most important lessons come not from confirming what we already believe, but from having the humility to change our minds when the evidence points in a different direction.

That was my epiphany. That’s when I became Benergized.

It changed my perspective, redirected my life’s work, and ultimately inspired the creation of Benergy—a program dedicated to helping the next generation become energy literate, think critically, and make informed decisions about one of the most important challenges of the twenty-first century.