Hot, Flat and Crowded - Essay Example

The implication is that the world’s beautiful, precious and beautiful biodiversity get destroyed virtually every 20 minute. Since the trend of consumerism and therefore energy use is ever on the increase, biodiversity preservation measures must be taken to protect against potential loss and extinction. Preservation of biodiversity, according to Friedman, is a duty that calls for a multi-sectoral and multi-party approach, involving nations, corporations, and individuals. World nations, led by the US have got a duty to reduce the use of carbon-based fuels.

In particular, they should construct an entirely new system of fuels that is clean, in the sense that they have no or little carbon emission, such as wind, solar and nuclear energy. These should be supplied to homes. Corporations have a duty to put measures calculated to minimize the use of carbon-based fuels and ensure efficient systems that do not blow much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Individuals should also operate under minimum energy use reverting to environment-friendly energy sources.

Other than the loss of biodiversity, a hot, flat, and crowded world raises other ethical issues. . In the long run, their (petrodicataors) pockets are unjustly enriched. Secondly, the energy crisis that characterizes the hot, flat, and crowded eventually leads to a wider gap between the rich (energy haves) and the poor (energy have-nots) as the poor have their operations and daily life grounded due to escalated costs and energy scarcity. Finally, a hot, flat, and crowded world also disrupts the sustainability of the environment for future generations.

As various corporations use carbon fuels, they emit more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, thereby raising the global temperature to greater heights. It means that future generations will find the environment generally hostile to their living. And we are opening an ever wider gap between the energy haves and the energy have-nots, those who cannot take part in the “flat” world because they cannot switch on a light bulb, let alone a laptop. Friedman makes various arguments and suggestions to emphasize the importance of regulation in reducing the USA’s oil dependency.

Freidman asserts that green-revolutionary regulations will be essential to catalyze funding and development of petroleum-free energy sources, such as wind, nuclear and solar. By adopting heavy carbon taxation or ensuring higher taxation of petroleum products, corporations that are responsible for heavy carbon emissions will strive to revert to fewer carbon fuels. Individuals will also minimize energy use as they revert to using environment-friendly fuels. Regulation would ensure that such desirable energy uses are fairly priced and affordable to many.

Friedman’s suggestion is important considering that there are so many individuals who consume energy.