Thomas Friedman is writing from New Delhi where he is attending a climate conference. Two young women asked him if he would like a ride in their car - an electric car augmented with solar panels. Read his column, "Yes, They Could, So They Did" for more, especially about how there are many people involved in unconventional thinking.
But what inspired this blog and its title is his quote about his ride through New Delhi:
"We head off down Panchsheel Marg, one of New Delhi’s main streets. The ladies want to show me something. The U.S. Embassy and the Chinese Embassy are both located on Panchsheel, directly across from each other. They asked me to check out the rooftops of each embassy. What do I notice? Let’s see ... The U.S. Embassy’s roof is loaded with antennae and listening gear. The Chinese Embassy’s roof is loaded with ... new Chinese-made solar hot-water heaters."
The 20th Century is often called the American Century. The 21st Century is going to be the Asian Century, not because the Asian powers have sophisticated military equipment, but because many Asians are working to solve everyday problems in sophisticated ways, which can often be quite simple.
See also, "Is the Asian Century coming?" and "More on a possible Asian Century"
