There are a lot of people who have recently embraced more sustainable solutions because they save money. With gas prices falling over the previous few weeks, one of the major drivers of the recent increase in environmental consciousness is becoming less of an issue.
Are consumers going to go back to their large SUVs now that gas is at $2/gallon instead of $4? Possible, but not likely in my opinion. Economic motivation is certainly one of the strongest reasons that a consumer or business would choose a more eco-conscious solution. Since the gas price fall has been linked to an erosion in the overall economy, and consumer confidence, I think most automobile downsizers are going to continue to enjoy the mpg savings of their smaller vehicles. The fall in gas prices is likely going to mean that fewer people switch to smaller cars, but the trend should remain.
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