Art Dubke introduced Thursday’s Austin Noon Lions Club meeting’s guest speaker.

Nobody knew more about the guest speaker than Dubke.

Dan Gunderson, Dubke’s son-in-law, is founder and CEO of Big Wild Communications. On Thursday, his experience as a lobbyist in Washington, D.C. and as a public policy analyst for American oil companies gave him a different perspective on the energy crisis.

Gunderson’s take: Don’t blame the oil companies. His history of oil in America was dotted with seldom-heard facts.

For instance, more oil was spilled or dumped in the world’s oceans during World War II than at any other time in history. “And, yet somehow the environment survived,” he said. A turning point in modern oil history came in 1973, when the Arab oil embargo and the creation of OPEC, the organization of Middle Eastern oil-producing countries, changed the balance of power and “cheap gasoline” disappeared in America.

“The price of gas at the pumps went from 29 to 49 cents in only two weeks,” Gunderson said. “Then, it hit 99 cents a gallon.”

“The problem was: Oil companies did everything they could to hurt their own image and blamed somebody else.”

“The result: Gas stations disappeared and the number of refineries declined to 150 and that was the time American carmakers began manufacturing higher gas mileage vehicles.”

Today, Gunderson sees a frenzy to reduce American oil consumption, build cars that get better mileage, build hybrid, solar-powered and those which use compressed natural gas all in the name of reducing the country’s dependence on foreign oil.

“We need to get over it; this panic over oil,” Gunderson said. “We need to realize petroleum will be a part of our way of life far into the future,” he said.

Gunderson quizzed the Austin Noon Lions Club members with an Energy IQ Survey to fortify his opinion that all oil is not bad for America.

“How many products would be have to remove from our homes that are petroleum based?” he asked. “How many can you do without?”

The guest speaker offered his own plan to deal with the energy crisis. Within 15 years, all vehicles would have to get 50 miles per gallon, oil shale and sand would be refined, second generation ethanol plants that are cellulose and not corn-based would go into operation and more refineries would be needed to move toward American energy independence.

Within 25 years, Gunderson’s plan would require all vehicles to get 100 miles per gallon, nuclear and clean coat plans would be in operation, wind energy would blow across the nation, compressed natural gas vehicles would be commonplace and, he said, oil would be a part of making the world a better place.

Gunderson graduated Austin High School in 1974 and later the University of Minnesota and Harvard-MIT Crisis Communications Program.

He and his wife Joan Dubke-Gunderson have two children: Stephanie, 25, and Derek, 28.

Gunderson’s company is headquartered in Madison, Wis. His outdoors show is heard Saturday mornings on KAUS AM Radio.