We know driving our cars and trucks is one of the primary contributors to global warming. We've seen gas prices shoot up to once-unthinkable levels in the past few weeks. Have those powerful reasons curtailed our driving at all?

 

I am inclined to write no. I'm not seeing much evidence around me that anyone's changing their habits.

 

But apparently it is changing a bit. A recent article in the New York Times reported that U.S. consumers are using less gas. It's not solely because gas prices have approached $3.50 a gallon, and it's definitely not because people want to address climate change. The struggling economy is the determining variable. The conclusion is people may pay just about any amount for gas when the economy's good, but they won't when things aren't so good.

 

According to the report, gas consumption dropped 1 percent during a recent eight-week period compared to a year ago. That's significant, as gas consumption usually climbs 1.5 percent annually just based on population growth. The decline was the biggest since 1997.

 

Sounds good, right? Like maybe we're finally getting the idea and lessening our dependence on oil, which creates significant greenhouse gases and depletes natural resources, not to mention that it forces us to rely on volatile foreign nations.

 

I'm not so sure how good it sounds. The Times article indicates a greater portion of the gas cutbacks are coming from lower-income consumers, people who are more dramatically affected by an economic downturn. In California gas prices are the highest, and consumption last November fell 3.7 percent -- much higher than the national average. But the state's economy also has been hit hard, as unemployment jumped 21 percent in November from the previous year.

 

That all says there does come a point when people will start consuming less gas. But it really has to get to the point of a severe economic strain on the family. It really has to start becoming a choice of gas vs. food or other essentials.

 

Most of us fortunately aren't at that crisis point. It tells me that people generally aren't going to cut back on driving for environmental reasons. And we likely won't cut back as gas prices continue to climb and climb, until we feel we have no alternative.

 

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

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