Ted Turner Says: Think, Change, Grow
By Sue Mayfield-Geiger
Ted Turner advocates change and made Houston a recent stop to explore and discuss changes in energy production and alternative fuels. When I introduced him to Change Magazine, he lit up. “Now that’s a great name for a magazine,” he said with enthusiasm. “We all need to change, everything is always changing, and we definitely have to be open to change.”
Speaking to a sold-out crowd, the packed ballroom of over 800 listened intently to what Turner had to say.
The founder of CNN, an entrepreneur, environmentalist, and philanthropist, Turner was joined by former Senator Timothy Wirth (D-CO) who is President of the UN Foundation. Both men spoke at the World Affairs Council of Houston about the opportunities available in the alternative fuels arena.
Dapper in blue shirt, gray suit, and colorful tie displaying unity among nations, Turner was more subdued than usual, yet full of enthusiasm, as he sat on stage with Wirth and moderator Matt Simmons. Basically, Turner got right to the point, letting everyone know that fossil fuels must become a thing of the past, that new alternative fuels are needed and needed NOW.
Speaking candidly about his ability to make money, Turner talked about making his first million; then his first billion. Then, after he made a few more billion, he thought: What am I going to do with all this money? Saying he wanted to do something in the interest of humanity, he gave a billion dollars to the United Nations.
In that light, the UN Foundation was created to support UN causes and activities. The Foundation builds and implements public-private partnerships to address the world's most pressing problems and also works to broaden support for the UN through advocacy and public outreach.
"We just can't continue on the energy path we are on. It's too dangerous in terms of its economic and political risks, and it's ruinous to our climate. We need to move away from our oil dependence and towards a future that embraces alternative fuels. There are some who would see that change as a threat to their livelihoods; they are missing the boat. Change creates opportunity, and there are boundless opportunities emerging from the transition we are beginning to a new energy future." – Ted Turner
