Energy: Less is More

In Friedman's book, he calls for a "code green", a green revolution. In San Francisco, scientists propose a different strategy than conservation.

 SAN FRANCISCO — Energy efficiency is a way to meet the world’s growing energy needs, just like building more power plants — except that it costs less, emits no carbon dioxide or radiation, and does not rely on scarce resources in potentially hostile places.

Instead of asking people to make do with less, they are suggesting that cities become more efficient, for example, using already existing technologies such as LED lights in streetlamps. Scientists predict that in the year 2020, America could consume 30 percent less energy. By 2050, 88 percent less electricity could be used. This is exactly the revolution that Friedman calls for.