Toyota Prius is still not the answer for gas whiners

We consumers are whining about surging gas prices again. I find it both comical and yet a bit sad that many consumers are flocking to smaller, slightly more fuel-efficient cars thinking 40 mpg can save the day. Surely I expected nothing less than the typical "buy your way out" behavior plus the blatant refusal to make a change in lifestyle.

The fact is that current alternatives are neither greener nor more economical. Trading in an SUV presents a great loss in value and a poor use of "money" in the first place, and the act of a quick swap creates one more car being manufactured, more materials used up, and more emissions from the production process.

My decision is to simply minimize using my car and to extend its life for as long as possible while letting the technology develop into something more mature and greenable. Maybe Toyota Prius will achieve 100 mpg soon, or maybe a conversion technology will become available to improve the mileage of current models. Either way, my "change in lifestyle" is the surest way to go greener and to deal with the inflating cost of living.