(New York Post) Billionaire Jeff Bezos touted his private space firm Blue Origin as a key player in the climate change battle and pushed back against critics who claim the Amazon founder has not focused his massive fortune to solve problems on Earth.
“Blue Origin’s long-term goal is to move all polluting industries off Earth,” Bezos said in the Oct. 14 speech at the Vatican. “That path is long, and we won’t see its end in my lifetime. Somebody else will have to pick up that torch. But for my part, I would like to do everything that I can to build a road to space. So that whoever comes along next has an easier time than I did.”
Bezos delivered the remarks while accepting the Galileo Prophets of Philanthropy Award at the Vatican. Aside from his work with Blue Origin and Amazon, the billionaire heads up the climate-focused “Bezos Earth Fund.”
Bezos said he has wanted “to build a path to space” since childhood. He also directly addressed those who have criticized his pet project as a waste of resources that could instead help people in need.
Jeff Bezos is founder of Blue OriginGetty Images
“Some people ask me why. Why invest so much into space when there are so many problems to be solved on Earth?” Bezos said.
“We go to space not to abandon our home but to protect it,” Bezos added. “Consider energy. In space, the sun always shines, and we can collect energy in almost unlimited amounts. Energy and other resources can be harvested and used in space without harming the Earth. Earth is a garden that should be tended.”
Bezos is one of several ultra-rich executives who had dabbled in the space sector in recent years. Tesla CEO Elon Musk is also the top boss at privately held SpaceX, while billionaire Richard Branson founded spaceflight firm Virgin Galactic. All three firms have worked as contractors for NASA.
