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Last Hot, Flat and Crowded Session a Winner
By Shirley Gilbert
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Genevieve Angelides and Margery Leonard were instrumental in bringing the many discussions to Fremont citizens and AAUW members.
It was a bittersweet evening for members of the Hot, Flat and Crowded AAUW Leadership team who were present at the library on May 24, 2011.
After more than 20 discussion sessions for the year the final session at the Fremont Library at 7:00 p.m. attracted about a dozen participants and stimulated some spirited discussion.
The format for this last session was comprised of presentations from leadership team members about their favorite sections of the important book.
Margery, who was responsible for this last book talk, opened the session by describing what the One Book, One Community program was all about and how Hot, Flat and Crowded got selected from the dozens of books discussed. She also talked about the response from Representative Pete Stark who was asked four questions based on the book.
Jo Szeto, also on the leadership team, explained what the terms “hot, flat and crowded” of the title meant. She read quotes from the book that described the five problems with regard to our energy problems that Friedman’s book addresses.
AAUW’s Kathy Bray recounted Friedman’s solutions to the pressing problems that confront us today. She painted the kind of energy conscious future we could have in twenty years or so if important decisions were made by our country’s leaders soon.
Shirley Gilbert, another leadership team member, read the powerful message and challenge that a young girl, Severn Suzuki, presented to the adults not only at the environmental conference she attended but for adults everywhere. She begged us all to fix the terrible mess we’ve made of our planet for future generations.
Margery ended the meeting thanking those who came and also asked if there were questions. The attendees shared their frustration about many environmental concerns: the fact that many citizens did not think global warming was real; how to bring about change when no one seems to care; how to get leaders to think longer term about the future.
Margery Leonard and Genevieve Angelides, the two who spearheaded the three years of One Book One Community experiences, were given flowers to thank them for all their hard work and dedication.
“On to our next book,” said Margery. “Let us know your ideas or join us on the committee. We’d like to hear what you think about next year’s book when the time comes.”