17 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
Good Insights!, September 9, 2000
Global warming, rapidly growing populations, and expansion of the world's middle class through globalization have produced a planet that is "hot, flat, and crowded." It will be too late to fix things in just a few years unless the U.S. steps up now to take the lead in a worldwide effort to replace wasteful, inefficient energy supplies.

Instead, we have put up more walls than ever as we export our fears of terrorism and indulge in petty political fights that postpone fixing even Social Security, Medicare, (jobs lost through free trade - I added that one), our infrastructure, immigration, deficits at all levels and education because we feel invulnerable. It (forecasted problems) won't happen to us because we can just borrow our way to prosperity and/or keep on doing what we've always been doing.

Europe's response to the 1973-74 Arab oil embargo was to raise gas taxes; in addition, France launched a massive investment into nuclear energy (much of their waste is reprocessed and reused). Japan also raised gas taxes and launched a huge drive for energy efficiency. The U.S. raised auto efficiency standards only to have them rolled back under Reagan, who also removed the Carter solar panels from the White House.

In late 2007 the U.S. moved the fuel economy standard to 35 mpg (where Europe and Japan already are), by 2020.

Detroit tells us they were only building what the public wanted (SUVs, light trucks), but "forgets" to tells us about their successful lobbying to hold down the gas tax.

Three Mile Island ended U.S. efforts to build nuclear power.

Deforestation in places like Indonesia and Brazil creates more CO2 than all of transportation. The average cow creates 600 liters of methane/day - 27X the power, but not as long lived, as CO2.

Subsidies in China, India, and the Middle East have helped spike demand for oil. Similarly in the U.S. re agriculture.

Saudi Arabia (Sunni) and Iran (Shiite) contend for leadership in the Islamic world. The more a state can rely on oil riches, the less it is concerned about democracy or developing its people. Also referred to as "Dutch disease" by economists - natural resources create a strong currency that then weakens manufacturing and eventually hollows it out. Strong natural resources also reduces pressure for women to work, become educated, and have rights - men's earnings are enough. Still another similar problem occurred during the Cold War - some states were supported (aka natural resources) because of their value to either the East or West. Result: Bush's failure to push oil conservation has been highly destructive towards other values that he professes.

Russia originally thrived on prison labor and forced labor on collective farms. Eventually even those sources were not enough, but the rise in oil prices per Arab oil embargo revived their economies and allowed expanding their influence. The subsequent fall in oil prices in the 1980s (conservation) and 1985 Saudi Arabian 4X boost in production stopped holding oil prices up and led to the fall of the USSR.

Friedman contends that there is too much debate about Al Gore, instead of focusing on climate change. Friedman also points out that there are too many trivial climate change activities that have little impact, but let people feel they've accomplished something. Major change is required, and quickly.

There are almost 3,200 electric utility companies in the U.S., and surprisingly limited integration between them. In most cases, customer bills do not relate to time of day.

Friedman asserts that the U.S. could create a major new industrial boom through moving quickly on new energy technology. I hope so, but suspect that the Chinese would quickly undercut us on price.

Finally, Friedman rightfully laments how long it takes the U.S. to take action - eg. 11 years to plan and implement a new wind farm in California. Most of the time was taken in mandated studies and approvals. He suggests that we need a brief period of fast-action such as occurs in China.

28 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
A must read for the modern citizen., September 8, 2000
Thomas L. Friedman's Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need A Green Revolution-and How It Can Renew America is the right book, by the right author, at the right time. Just when it is becoming apparent that the days of petroleum are ending we get a book that can serve as a platform for future discussion on the energy situation and may even form an outline for future action. This is a positive book and is also a realistic one. Readers will appreciate the proof he includes as he makes his points. For example, don't think that the flattening of the population is causing shortages in a variety of materials? How about scrap iron? Manhole covers (p. 65) have been disappearing all over the world. Initially in the Asia, the stealing has reached Chicago and will continue to spread. Copper is the latest in scarce materials that is being stolen.

Whether Friedman is discussing fuels from hell or fuels from heaven, his approach is intelligent, positive and, in my opinion, dead on target. There is opportunity in this crisis for however many people want to and invent our way out of it. Friedman's first law of petropolitics states that "as the price of oil goes up, the pace of freedom goes down". Certainly this isn't going to be a topic of debate among the readers of this book. Can anyone doubt that we have fewer freedoms today than say thirty years ago and that much of that is related to the price we pay for petroleum based products?

Among the many points that Friedman makes is our half-hearted attempts that have been made on behalf of the environment. Certainly "going green" is a popular phrase in the United States today. I know, I saw a bumper sticker on the back of a large Ford SUV a few weeks back announcing "Earth Day." Up to now being environmentally aware didn't require a lot of sacrifice. That, I think Friedman would agree with, is about to change.

As a solar energy advocate for more than 30 years I've often been frustrated by our inability to wean ourselves from not just petroleum, but from all fossil fuels. The federal government has been reluctant for any number of reasons to provide the leadership on this effort, and the private sector, while seemingly the one sector that should see the huge economic pay off of using solar energy where possible has been slow to lead the way. I guess that as long as cheap oil was available many felt that the investment in alternative energy sources just wasn't worth the effort....NO PROFITS. That is going to change.

Thomas L. Friedman's Hot, Flat, and Crowded isn't a book that tries to point the finger at any individual or group. In fact, the book is remarkably problem and solution oriented giving it a certain amount of legitimacy. While it does point up our short falls in the past, it also offers hope for the future.

I highly recommend.

Peace always