To me, there are a few things we can do. Some we do ourselves, some we make sure our elected officials take care of (or don't re-elect them!).

We know about conservation. Lower the thermostat, follow the $10 suggestion, carpool, walk, cover our windows with plastic or invest in new windows, get a blanket, etc. What one thing can you do today to conserve energy?

Second, get the fox out of the henhouse. Oil and gas companies shouldn't be creating energy policy. It's a conflict of interest. Neither should the alternative energy companies. Same problem. We've known for decades that oil and gas are finite resources, yet the fuel-efficiency standards for cars, trucks, etc. are substantially the same that they were in the mid-1970s. Why?

There's really not much we can do that's going to change pump prices or heating prices right now. If we get smarter and start thinking long-term, we may get some relief.

What do our hearts tell us? What kind of world do we want? Do we want to leave a land of strip-mining and extinct animals for our children? Do we want older folks to die because they can't get adequate heat? Do we want the gap between rich and poor to continue to increase? Who are we?

Not simple questions and they won't produce quick responses, but if we really think these things through and live our values, even if it might pinch us a little, we will be better off.

My two cents -- take what you like and leave the rest!