nope, Julie...we'll quit breeding when contraceptive implants are REQUIRED, and you have to get a permit to have them removed. The earth has millions of years of evolution making SURE we breed...we have the means to control it, but not the will.

As to gasoline prices, in the UK, it is common to have a small car and drive only moderate distances, so the total outlay can still be coped with. The U.S., being a huge country, has a mindset and culture where many of us drive LONG distances regularly. In Texas or Wyoming, it can be 75 miles for a rancher to get the supplies he needs, and this system was developed before anyone understood what oil reserves existed or how fast they'd be used.

If the trend continues, even the US will have to figure out a better way...perhaps railroads will make a comeback, and we can rent (hire) small cars at each end. Perhaps this internet thing will make being separated from Aunt Susie, 1400 miles away seem not so tedious if we can type, send pictures, and have video hook-ups between visits.

Moving goods between Seattle and Miami will still require some thought, and there are folks in N. Dakota who expect fresh produce all year 'round...*smile*...(What? you say we don't NEED fresh Salmon in Miami?)