A utopian view of our future
From Amazon
Tom Friedman presents a refreshing, journalist's review of the new possibilities for the so-called green revolution. The author examines several good ideas for substainability and a few poor ones.
Take Cap-and Trade. Jim Hansen, NASA climatologist, describes it as a "Temple of Doom" for life on our planet. Friedman brings up the European example as a failure of the program:
"The case in point is the European experience: they spent $50 billion on carbon trading, their CO2 emissions actually increased, and the largest payment went to a German coal-burning utility!"
Friedman offers a counter-suggestion: carbon tax:
" But the whole point of a cap-and-trade regime is to disguise any pain and pretend that we aren't even imposing a tax. To my ear, it is like trying to desegrated the University of Mississippi, Ole Miss, in 1962 by letting James Meredith go to night school."
"Some argue that a carbon tax would handicap the American economy by making our exports more expensive and less competitive. He make note that countries like Denmark and Norway have imposed a CO2 tax for many years. "Denmark today is the world's leading exporter of wind turbines and has 4% unemployment ¯ in part because the way it has taxed energy has helped stimulate a whole new clean-tech industry there."
The author presents case studies of successful programs the United States has already implemented. He recalls the Porter hypothesis, "appropriately planned environmental regulations will stimulate technological innovation, leading to reductions in expenses and improvements in quality." In 2004, the EPA introduced new Tier II standards on diesel engines for nitrogen oxide.
GE was forced to produce diesel locomotives to meet these new standards. Rather than strap on improvements to existing models, an approach the Big Three automakers did poorly in the 1970s to improve milage, GE's approach was different, better. They invented a new locomotive from the wheels up. Even China buys its locomotives from GE's Erie, PA plant. The new engine produces the same horsepower with twelve cylinders as the old one did with sixteen cylinders. "Best of all is that these locomotives are reliable. "They don't stop on the tracks," says John Dineen, GE's Transportation president and CEO. The Germans and Chinese are buying these locomotives as fast as Erie can make them.
There are some journalistic failures though. Friedman touts the success of California in cutting greenhouse gases by half . Certainly, California is to be commended for setting the mark high for efficiency standards affecting cars, refrigerators and air conditioners. However, this was at a price. I lived in California during this time. I defy him to show how California decreased emissions without the loss of industrial jobs.
This is the failure of this book. Tom Friedman is an optimist. Late in the book he shrugs and admits that America must reform its political system before it can compete with China and Europe. He waxes poetically, "Why can't America be China for just one day?" But, he does not give any insight into how we may reform our politics. It's a shame the author spent so much time with CEO and other executives instead of engineers. We've seen our jobs go overseas. It is hard expect engineers in the present political framework to challenge corporate authority who promote globalization and the quarterly view. We can't invent our way out of our troubles, certainly not alone.
No, the lessons of this book are: America is still the land of great possibilities but not without changing things from the bottom up.
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Interesting and insightful
From Amazon
The book is very interesting. He has a lot of good ideas. I wish all of the politicians would read this book.
Completely satisfied
From Amazon
The book came right on schedule and in perfect condition. I would order from this company again.
Somewhat long-winded, but worth the read.
From Amazon
I picked up all 500+ pages of this book just over two weeks ago, and have been determined to make it to the end. If nothing else, this book is informative, and Friedman has done his homework, having travelled the globe, and interviewed many people, observing new projects as they emerge.
Friedman doesn't veer too much away from traditional economics, and he doesn't present what I would consider a maverick approach. In fact he has often been criticized for presenting a world view that today's problems can be solved by technology. But arguing mainly from this frame of reference, he does bring in a lot of data that supports the view that innovation, namely that which leads to efficiency, is economically profitable. What he doesn't do is suggest that we need to drastically alter our lifestyles, though he does outline the devastating impact of a burgeoning world population on the environment, suggesting that it is education that can decrease the birth rates in third world countries.
Friedman's formula for success is REEFIGDCPEERPFPCA
Hot Flat and Crowded
From Amazon
Hot Flat and Crowded by Thomas Friedman is a timely book that leaves the reader with a fear and at the same time hope for the world we live in. The book tells us about topics such as the US dependency on oil, and how some people believe that Global warming is a myth created to slow down China's industry, and how today we live in a world where the same job can be done by someone living in India just as well if not better than someone in the US. Friedman's book goes in depth into three related topics, which are the world's current state of being Hot (global warming), Flat (Internet leveling the playing field) and crowded (self explanatory). This book doesn't stop with explaining these issues or with giving examples of each in vivid detail, or with citing evidence to support the accusations but goes on to tell us what we, not only as a country, but as part of the greater community of planet earth must do. This book is exciting. This might be hard to believe given that the topics on the surface might seem terribly dull and bland, but when delved into deeper with more attention to detail, and when given a better understanding (which the book provides) these issues and topics become so much more than just a bunch of dull economic situations. As a sixteen year old high school student I cannot stress how strongly I believe that this book should be read by every single person in America of high school age or older. For a youth like myself this book served as an eye opener to what our world's situation is and how my generation needs to be the generation that makes the necessary changes. For older readers like my parents this book serves the purpose of encouraging them to elect strong and innovative leaders and for they themselves to start on the process of adjusting their lifestyles. To all readers; young, middle aged, and elderly, this book tells us that just because there is no attack on Pearl Harbor or missiles aimed at us from Cuba there is still a very real threat. The threat is not communism or Nazi aggression but an aggressively growing world wide middle class that when combined with our fossil fuel dependence creating global warming we have a combustible situation.