>>It's easy enough to say transportation habits must change, but it would be nearly impossible to implement. We are too large a country to depend solely on public transportation. The procrastination of auto makers to make more energy efficient vehicles is disturbing.
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>It's not just the auto industry, it's the whole industry that's consumption oriented. The whole movement out of towns and into suburbs is going on for 40-50 years now, based on cheap gas, and on "yes you can, and it won't cost much" promise of the industry. So nowadays you have the whole landscape shaped by that - there's nothing in walkable distance that's different from where you are. If you're at home, chances are you're surrounded by a square mile of homes. If you're in a bar/shop, walk out and you'll be surrounded by bars and shops. Want to move from one to another? On the average, the distance will be too much and you'll need a car. That's the way this country looks now.
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>If you've ever flown over Europe, you may have noticed the sharp border between habitats and countryside. Here, the habitat spreads deep into the forest. Which means the forest had to be cut a lot to make roads for those who live in it, which means they need vehicles to get anywhere, which then need gas.
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>When the houses in the city start gaining value and it becomes hard to sell a house in the forest, that'll be the tipping point.
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>>If I want to pay for the extra gas for a 4x4 all year just to take advantage of it only in the winter when I have to plow through a foot and a half of snow to get off of my street, I should be able to do that.
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>If you can afford it :).

Sometime it is tough to afford, but it is needed (especially after this week with all of the blowing snow).