Thomas L. Friedman
Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux (2008)

'Today we can substitute knowledge for raw materials in so many more ways.'  No, you can't build a building with computer bits and bytes like cement bricks and mortar, but with smarter materials and smarter designs you can build a building with a lot fewer bricks and a lot less mortar.  You can build a building with tighter windows and a lot better insulation.  You can make steel with so much less iron ore and so much less heat.  You can make buildings that retain heat or cooling so much more efficiently.  You can grow more food per acre. All it takes is knowledge.'