Well, it's going to be interesting to see how this all works out.

I'm neither a "true believer" nor a "true denier." I suspect that human activities are an accelerant on a set of existing conditions. From that perspective, it's prudent to use fossil fuels much more efficiently than we are now, and to find smarter ways of doing things.

The beauty of this is that it's all very practical. It fits nicely with my broader goals of self-sufficiency and reduced dependence on the grid. And with the soaring costs of energy, the investments I'm making will pay handsomely down the road.

Compared to ten years ago, I've taken steps to upgrade the insulation in my old house, updated my old furnace, started retiring energy-pig appliances, bought more efficient office equipment, and put in a high-efficiency wood stove. I grow more of my own food. I have a small bank of solar panels to recharge batteries and run laptops. I've found a way to telecommute through a broadband wireless setup. And when I do have to drive, my vehicle gets twice the gas mileage as my old one. In the future, I'd like to put in a ground-loop geothermal setup for heating and cooling.

I certainly haven't felt any degradation in my lifestyle as a result of my personal push for energy efficiency. Quite the opposite.