There is one thing we need to get used to as it will not change much; the high price of gasoline.  The reasons boil down to the bedrock of market driven economies, supply and demand. The world reserves of oil are said to have peaked around 2005, there is a good article here with information on that and the predicted consequences.  In addition to these predictions, by many learned persons, we have the situation of poorer countries getting richer. China and India are the largest two in that group. As citizens get wealthier they aspire to the same levels of consumption as more prosperous nations, travel-vehicles being a major aspiration.  Obviously this will drive up the demand for oil ever more rapidly.  There are estimated to be 6.6 billion people on earth of that number almost 2.4 billion are in India and China alone, more information on this here.  The short to medium term consequences of this are inevitable; high gas prices. In the USA $5.00 per gallon is not going to be too long coming; in my opinion.

In our world of technology, we have the capability to help; with immediate effect.  Anyone who can telecommute should be allowed to do so. The only thing that stands in the way of this, in my opinion, are inept managers who do not have the capability to trust those who work for them.