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T. Boone Pickens became wildly successful in large part because he decided that he knew best and went after it.

When he spoke to a large audience at Wastecon last week, he gave them much the same advice when asked what the solid waste industry can do to improve the environment and the American energy situation. It's good advice.

The oil billionaire talked about his Pickens Plan for energy independence. It involves a heavy reliance on natural gas, along with substantial increases in wind and solar power use.

It would certainly mean cleaner energy. But Pickens' main goal is to extricate ourselves from our dependence on foreign oil, particularly the Middle East.

Pickens talked about how for 40 years American presidents have promised that the country would end its foreign oil dependence in 10 years, and the result of course has been much the opposite. He spoke with supreme confidence that his plan is the only one that will allow that to happen, because only our natural gas reserves can provide enough energy to replace oil in such a short time.

Wind and solar can never be more than part of the solution. And the move to natural gas should only be a bridge to a future power source, such as the battery.

As confident as Pickens is about him having the solution, he's that skeptical about the ability of politicians to grasp the problem, let alone solve it.

As someone who is courted by presidential candidates, he told about how both then-senator Obama and Sen. McCain didn't understand that current battery power couldn't drive an 18-wheel truck. You all out there, Pickens told his audience, know much more about environmental and energy issues than politicians do.

And that might be the lesson for the solid waste industry. Pickens acknowledged the vital role the industry plays and can play in establishing how we behave with regard to both the environment and energy. And basically Pickens said, be a leader in establishing policy.

The industry is transforming itself from one that provides a necessary but unpleasant service to one that's on the front lines of environmental management. Rather than being reactive to government and economic pressures, the industry has a real opportunity to be a stronger voice in what happens.

The industry can help mold policy in recycling, waste-to-energy, commercial vehicle environmentalism and many other areas. The industry should be aggressive in looking to take advantage of that opportunity.

It certainly worked for Pickens.

Allan Gerlat is editor of Waste & Recycling News. Past installments of this column are collected in the Inbox archive.

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