Gas prices are climbing to amazing heights, and we keep driving to the gas station. Forecasters try to gauge at what price we´ll start to seriously curtail our vehicle use. One report said prices may need to reach $5 a gallon, and stay there for a few months until people get the idea that it´s not coming back down.

That makes me want to say again that we need to change our gas-guzzling ways, but it apparently isn´t that clear cut. We´ve heard that the reason prices are soaring is because there´s inadequate capacity right now. But the New York Times reported late last week that the reason there´s not enough capacity is that the oil companies cut back their expansion plans after President Bush´s State of the Union address earlier this year, in which he called for a significant increase in the use of biofuels.

So now environmentally friendly alternative fuels are the bad guy? If that cause-and-effect is true, not only is it costing consumers big time, but the environment doesn´t even get the benefit, because the widespread use of alternative fuels is still years away. Here´s what we´re left with in 2007 as vacation season hits: Record prices for global-warming-creating fossil fuel, with an insufficient amount of alternatives available.

People can debate how much the biofuels issue is really behind what the oil companies are doing with gas prices. But however true that is, what we can´t do is let that dissuade us from a commitment to alternative fuels. Even if it does hurt us financially in the short term. Although if the high prices last and are at least partly the result of government signals directed away from gasoline, the government should come to the rescue of consumers.

But the other part of the equation is us as consumers. At some point we need to be willing to change our ways, at least modestly. We already should have the financial if not moral incentive to drive more fuel efficient vehicles, use or push for better public transportation, or consider other alternatives.

A solution to our transportation energy needs that makes sense economically and is good for the environment will only come with collaborative efforts by business, government and consumers. And how we all react to gas prices way over $3 a gallon will be a big part of the direction we take.

Allan Gerlat is editor of Waste News. Past installments of this column are collected in the Inbox archive.

To subscribe or visit go to:  http://www.wastenews.com