Suddenly energy is sexy. From hybrid cars to wind farms to offshore drilling, activists from across the political spectrum are raising their voices to champion their own solutions to a complicated crisis. It is a perfect storm of issues and ideologies, as left-leaning environmentalists seek to curb human-driven global warming, and right-leaning security hawks strive to achieve energy independence.

This is an opportunity for me, I thought, to write in support of one of my favorite issues, a carbon tax as an economically efficient way to lower greenhouse emissions, spur investment in alternative energy, and reduce dependence on foreign oil. And, what’s more, its net impact on ordinary Americans can be minimized by returning tax revenue to citizens in the form of a dividend, offset of other taxes, or something similar.

But when you get right down to it, the resurgent interest in energy isn’t about green technology or national security, is it? It’s about high gas prices. Policy wonks on the right and the left may be happy that there’s now popular support for their issues, but mainstream Democratic support for investment in clean technology and mainstream Republican support for unfettered exploration have more to do with the impact on individuals’ wallets than with loftier notions of climate change or energy security.

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So most of us have probably noticed gas is getting a little bit pricey. Well, a lot bit pricey. And I’m pretty sure we’ve all figured out that the more gas we use, the more we’re hurting the environment, both when it comes to creating the fuel and the emissions produced. So, if I’m doing the math right (which is highly unlikely), if we can use less gas, we’re saving money and the environment.

One way to cut way back on gas is public transportation. Now, that’s all well and good for you Easterners, but I live in Southern California, where the last time a bus was ever used, Dennis Hopper put a bunch of explosives on it to piss off Keanu Reeves. So we have to do the little things. Luckily, The Daily Green is coming to our rescue with 10 ways to save 20 percent on fuel costs. Thus also reducing your carbon footprint. Sweet deal.

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If simply owning a Prius isn’t enough satisfaction these days because now everyone else has one (I hear it’s actually a law in Los Angeles you have to own at least one), now you can Prius to the max by replacing your hybrid’s roof with solar panels to get that extra boost of non-gasoline power.

The roof panels are made by a company called SEV, and are compatible with the 2004 through 2006 models of the Toyota car.

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The New York Times reported on Saturday that as gas prices surge upwards, public transportation use is on the rise throughout the country.  Now that gas prices are no longer just a nuisance, but a very real and very serious financial issue, the Times reports that,

Some cities with long-established public transit systems, like New York and Boston, have seen increases in ridership of 5 percent or more so far this year. But the biggest surges - of 10 to 15 percent or more over last year - are occurring in many metropolitan areas in the South and West where the driving culture is strongest and bus and rail lines are more limited.

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