A basic point is missing here. Fundamentally, it's not because "that's the way we've always done it," or "the developers all decide what we build with," etc., etc.

In some parts of the world, you will see almost nothing built of concrete. This is because there is no limestone within a reasonable haul distance. Much of northern Europe, with its numerous stone buildings and stone pavements falls in this category. Iceland has one calcium carbonate deposit for the whole island - an offshore shell bank.

In some parts of the world, you will see almost nothing built of wood. This is because there are few if any trees for very long distances.

In some parts of the world, you will rarely, if ever, see a brick structure. This is because there are limited clay deposits with suitable characteristics nearby. Conversely, in some localities, brick is very common, becasue good clays are nearby. The same is true for stone. You can't just say, "Let's all build stone buildings, because it will be friendlier to the forests," because the cost of hauling rocks (in both currency and fuel and consequent CO2 production) is exhorbitant; Most of the cost of rock is the hauling cost. Thus, St. Louis is packed with brick buildings, and Kansas City with stone.

Unfortunatley, our society is trending toward the casual presumption that anything can be mindlessly hauled anywhere else. Thus, you now see metal-stud framed homes thousands of miles from the strip mines and coal pits; wood-framed or log houses thousands of miles from the newly clear-cut forest tracks in the decimated wilderness; bricks, hundreds of miles form any clay pit. Styrofoam thousands of miles from the petroleum refinery and spewing chemical plant. All to feed the mindless craving for "luxury", comfort (we're talking serous comfort here), and excess "decor" that dominates our society.

Same way people haul their own ass fifty miles to work in their luxury sedan because they got inadvertantly and unintentionally brainwashed by some jackass "country western" soap opera about how they wished they lived "in the country".

Bring on the $5 gasoline, as far as I'm concerned. It is well deserved.