I agree with Bobert (now that's a first) on the need to coserve and the use of tax credits and public tranportation.   Unfortunately, the american public won't react till there is a crisis.   (PS- the next crisis will be the price of natural gas this winter)

I went to a renewable energy conference in Wisconsin a few months ago that did a few seminars on the end of cheap oil.   They sought of agred with Rapaire that the oil shortage will cause deaths and wars in the coming years- except they saw this mainly between third world countries and the major industrialized countries will find ways of getting their oil first.   This will leave the third world countries to fight it out for what is left.

I went to a Federal Reserve Bank Energy Forum in Detroit last year.   An executive from GM made a presentation on why it is bad for the USA to have higher gas mileage in cars.   Rather bazarre presentation. It just shows the thinking (or lack of thinking) at GM.    The people who get hurt by that are the auto workers who get laid off.

I was at a hydrogen energy park in Southfield Michigan a month ago and was told hydrogen will not be mainstream until 2020.

(does anyone outside the energy community or some of the people in this forum get that this is a crisis yet?)

A possible solution:   About 905 of all driving in the USA is under 20 miles.    There are full electric cars in the market that get 20 miles on a charge.   Shouldn't the government make incentives and tax credits sot that people use the electric cars for their short trips and hybrids or regular cars for their long trips?    How much gas do we waste picking up the kids, or shopping at the supermarket?