Originally Posted by tandempower

Technically, yes, I did forget about older posts in this thread. But upon re-reading it, it focuses m more on gas being cheaper in the US, which would not motivate people elsewhere to invest in passenger rail. Gas prices being high there, on the other hand, would be a logical reason to develop more fuel-efficient modes.

This is why I actually think some economic recession is a good thing. It's not good when people are being deprived of basic necessities, but it is good when they start thinking seriously about ways to get more out the money and resources they have to work with. The idea of unlimited abundance is very comforting but, sadly, it doesn't lead most people to the corresponding idea that the more resource-efficient technologies and lifestyles are developed and adopted, the farther the limits of abundance are moved into the future.

Permanent sustainability should be the ultimate goal that everyone is working toward. Figuring out which foods, forms of transportation, forms of architecture and development, etc. can be permanently sustained should guide people and businesses in their choices of what to buy/consume and what to invest in.