Student environmentalist leaders, faculty and staff met with Thomas Friedman '75, a three-time Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times columnist, before his speaking engagement to discuss Brandeis' environmental initiatives in light of Friedman's green revolution plan proposed in his new book Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why need a Green Revolution-and How it can renew America."The green revolution has grabbed hold of our campus. [Friedman] is one of the people on the forefront of this movement. Having someone [who graduated] from Brandeis who is so involved in the green movement makes it so much more tangible," James Collins '09, an intern for Brandeis' energy manager Bill Bushey, said.

Friedman explained that in the 19th and 20th centuries America experienced "boom, bubble and busts," in the railroad industry and the Internet that left the country with vast communication networks. He said the country just experienced a "boom, bubble, bust" in the financial services industry. Americans need to launch a new green energy technology revolution by committing the profits from the government's bailout plan to help innovate new green technology using solar panels, wind turbines and smart biofuels, he said.

He explained that the utilities industry is "the backbone of the green revolution" because these companies hold the power, capital,and influence to make a real impact on the environment if they use clean energy. He encouraged students to understand Brandeis' own power system by going to the power station to learn in practice how energy is bought and distributed.

Environmental student leaders told Friedman about the environmental initiatives students and staff at Brandeis have already taken to increase sustainability on campus. Sustainbility Coordinator Janna Cohen-Rosenthal '03 said President Jehuda Reinharz recently signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment pledging to help eliminate global warming emissions by becoming climate neutral, which means reducing the amount of greenhouse gases produced to create a neutral effect on global warming.

Bushey created a $9 million energy savings program to reduce energy and water consumption and to purchase energy from renewable sources. Students explained that the University also creates its own heat using natural gas.

Students expressed their desire to make the campus more energy-efficient and create renewable energy plans for the future, including the potential installation of its own wind turbine and eliminating the sale of bottled water on campus.

Friedman said everyone should strive to be carbon-advantaged by creating a beneficial effect to global warming by "out-greening" everyone.

He said there aren't many things one can control in the world, but students do have control over the impact they can make in their communities in reducing their carbon footprint.

Friedman "inspired the Brandeis community to keep moving forward," Cohen-Rosenthal said. "Climate change issues can be overwhelming but he was optimistic that we can make change.