On Monday, September 29, 2008 I attended a book discussion at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Thomas Friedman's fifth book, Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution—and How It Can Renew America, illustrates the population, environment, and security issues the world faces during the 21st century. Friedman explains that America has lost its groove and we need to take the lead in solving the world's largest problems.

Energy technology is the next big global industry following the information technology industry. Friedman describes the world as Hot, Flat, and Crowded. The small changes in temperature has had devastating effects causing global warming to be an issue of utmost importance. Friedman uses the adjective "flat" to describe the rising middle classes around the world. Everyone is living like Americans now. Also, the world is becoming more crowded and by 2020 there will be another billion people. Unfortunately, the United States Government has not dedicated an adequate amount of resources for energy technology to fully develop.

Thomas Friedman outlined five megatrends of the world today that need to be met. When flat meets crowded, energy supply and demand becomes an apparent problem for the world. "Little Manhattans are rising around the world" and so many people are living like Americans.

The second trend is Petro Dictatorship where there is an inverse correlation between the pace of freedom and price of oil. Citizens in countries are suffering human rights abuses due to the amount of control dictatorships hold and we Americans are driving this correlation.

The third trend Friedman points out is the extremities in climate change. Gore actually underestimated the damage we are facing today with our environment. It is now questionable whether disasters are an act of god or humans.

The fourth megatrend the world faces is energy poverty. More than a quarter of the world does not have a consistent connection to electric power. Two weeks usage of power in China is equal to a year’s work of power in Sub-Saharan Africa. Subsequently, this disrupts societies’ connection to the rest of the world holding back possible development.

Lastly, the biodiversity loss of plant and animal species has worsened accounting for a loss one thousand times the norm.

These big problems of the 21st century should be seen as opportunities for the U.S. government. They are not impossible, just a different approach needs to be taken. First we need to redefine 'Green Revolution.' Everyone cannot be a winner. Currently cheap, dirty alternatives are overshadowing possible innovations. The U.S. venture capital investment for IT was 80 billion in comparison to the 5 billion investment in ET. The next president will have the opportunity to set the right regulations and price standards to initiate progress. Friedman ended his discussion with we have "exactly enough time starting now" and I couldn’t agree more.

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