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Four Powerful Hot, Flat and Crowded Perspectives

By Shirley Gilbert.  Pictures by Mary Lynn Pelican

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Over thirty attendees listened with rapt attention as four AAUW Fremont Branch devotees of Friedman’s Hot, Flat and Crowded shared what they felt were the most important and persuasive sections of the book.

The scene was the St. James Episcopal Church on Cabrillo in Fremont.  The audience was made up mostly of Country Club of Washington Township Women’s Club members and some Fremont Branch attendees.   The AAUW presenters were Margery Leonard, Jo Szeto, Martha Crowe and Shirley Gilbert.  The purpose was to acquaint club members with Friedman’s messages and sense of urgency for change in America.

First, club members conducted their monthly board meeting to which Fremont Branch guests were invited.  Our own Mary Lynn Pelican is Vice-President of the club and will be president as of June.   After the meeting the most inviting table of sweets and snacks were offered.  AAUW presenters then proceeded with their program.

• Shirley Gilbert opened the series of presentations with a reminder of what One Book, One Community is all about, and the Fremont Branch’s role in bringing it to Fremont.  Then she passed along why the team chose Hot, Flat and Crowded for our third selection.

• Margery Leonard opened the presentations with an explanation, from the book’s Chapter IV, of exactly what Friedman meant by the words “hot, flat and crowded.”   She talked about the dramatic demographic change in the world today led by a growing number of angry youths.  The “hot,” she said, refers to global warming.  “Friedman is being direct and dynamic,” she said, “and has his detractors and his supporters in terms of global warming.”

• Jo Szeto talked feelingly and quoted several passages that dealt with the crying need for conservation.  One of the passages dealt with the glories of nature and what we are already losing in terms of flora, fauna and animal life.   She also mentioned her recent visit to New York where she saw the glories of that natural life in the art galleries and museums and felt it would be a pity if we were to lose that image.

• Martha Crowe dealt with the chapter entitled:  China for a Day (And Not for Two).  “China,” she said, “without its cumbersome democratic system, can make (and has made) environmental changes very quickly.  Of course, we wouldn’t want to live under a China-type regime.  However, we would be acting with decisiveness, according to Friedman, if the President stood up and said:  ‘By 2025 we are going to produce this much coal, this much natural gas, this much wind, this much solar, this much nuclear power and nothing is going to stand in the way.’“

• Shirley Gilbert quoted from the impassioned speech made by a 12-year-old girl to the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio.  The young Severn Suzuki berated the adults at the conference for their inattention to the environment.   “I am only a child,” she said, “and I don’t have all the solutions, but I want you to realize neither do you.“  “Bottom line for me,” said Shirley, “What legacy will we pass along to our children and grandchildren?  Will we leave the planet in worse or better shape than it is today?”

• Martha Crowe then showed a series of clippings from various publications which pointed out that going green is a big subject of debate in this country and that much progress was being made both locally and nationally to bring about a greener world.

• There were many excellent questions and comments by CCWTWC members.   They all agreed that the four presenters stimulated them to think about the important issues and concerns Friedman raises in his book and many were determined to read it.

ABOUT THE COUNTRY CLUB OF WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP WOMEN’S CLUB

This women’s organization was formed in 1896 to preserve the area’s heritage and restore local historic landmarks.  It helped form the Red Cross in 1898, sponsored the first healthy clinic, worked to get the first public health center, helped needy families, supported programs for orphans, travelers, the blind, the handicapped, the elderly, the sick and children in general.  Members published several history books of the Township updating the history in 1950 and 1965.   Today the club continues to donate to a wide variety of community non-profit organizations.

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