I have no doubt that conservation helps. I have a bunch of CF light bulbs and use several dimmers to save electricity. Notice I dint say to save money? The reason is that they dont, or wont for a few more years. I'm not convinced that I'll ever save money by using CF's, but I think the dimmers will pay off in a few years.
Cars: The problem is that for me and most anybody that has a good gas guzzling car, is that it is a huge investment for us to replace them with more fuel efficient cars. Also what happens to mine when i trade it in? Somebody else drives it....
To amswer a uestion asked by the article, "why doesnt he commit to it now?" in reference to Bush saying he will look at raising the fuel economy standard for new vehicles. I see an issue of where forcing the auto makers to get better mileage causes the vehicle price to raise enough that people are detterrred even longer from giving up their SUV's.
Really what america needs is good solid basic car for dirt cheap. Something that gets ~30mpg and cost less than 10 grand. Even it was very rudimentary, as long as it was safe and you wouldnt have to throw it away after 50K miles. But there is no profit in that so the big 3 wont make one and the imports that fit that description are all IMHO, crap.
Make wind and solar more efficient and able to turn a real profit or really save money for a consumer now, not in 15 years, and the govt wont need to subsidise them. People will flock to them, of course is oil/gas prices rise high enough, you'll have the save effect.
