“We answered the phone and they said, ‘Hello, this is the White House.’”Sean Lafferty, 30
Not even Sean, a 1993 graduate of Evergreen High School, would have guessed that his company would get a call from the White House. But then again, Blue Sun Biodiesel is the exclusive fuel supplier to ten cities including San Francisco, Denver and Santa Fe.
It’s big business. True. It’s also environmentally conscious business.
Sean’s company doesn’t supply typical diesel. It supplies biodiesel.
What is biodiesel? Good question. It’s a plant based fuel that can be used in diesel engines without modification. It burns cleaner, increases power, and improves fuel efficiency. Plus it costs about the same as regular diesel.
Blue Sun also provides farmers in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Wyoming with a guaranteed crop price and partial ownership in the company.
There is no doubt that Sean is a quarterlifer—person in his teens, twenties, and thirties—who is making a difference.
Have you ever wondered, “What difference can I make?” Whether it’s taking the bus or reusing your grocery bags there is always the question. “Is this really helping?”
Sean had the same questions. Long before the White House contacted Blue Sun to learn about renewable sources of energy, Sean was simply a guy who enjoyed the outdoors and wanted to preserve it. “Growing up in Evergreen with its progressive attitude and beautiful setting had an impact,” he told me.
After graduating from CSU, Sean took a job as an electrical engineer, but continued experimenting with alternative fuel sources in his spare time.
“Together with a friend we made a 55 gallon backyard biodiesel processor,” Sean told me. “It started as a fun project and then within the next year we had incorporated and launched the company.”
Today Sean lives in Evergreen with his wife and young daughter. He skis Mary Jane most weekends and works full time at his company during the week. Recently Sean helped open several retail gas stations including a new one in Golden.
Want to make a difference? Want to have an impact? Try starting out each day by asking yourself a simple question. “What can I do today to make the world a better place?” It may be as simple as recycling your cereal boxes or taking shorter showers. Remember all great causes start out as little projects. It happened to Sean and it can happen to you.
Upload Experience
All Rights Reserved 2006 Nasoj Publications, LLC
Jason C. Steinle the host of The Steinle Show talk radio and television programs, and author of Upload Experience: Quarterlife Solutions which is available at HearthFire Books and http://www.amazon.com/. 
