Up till now, most consumers have been fans of green initiatives but they have operated under two general rules that limit their acceptance of environmentally sustainable products.

Drivers are beginning to put less mileage on their cars by making fewer and shorter trips. They are also keeping their cars longer. While few, if any, Americans have decided to do without cars, less is becoming a guiding spirit for many motorists: less driving, less replacement, and even, perhaps, less traffic on the roads.

Many Americans have been sidelined from their aspirations to buy a home by declining home prices.

Recently, Wegman's Foods, a widely heralded supermarket chain in the Northeastern United States, announced that they are discontinuing the sales of tobacco products. Other food chains appear to be following their lead, and drug chains may well also ban the sale of tobacco in their stores.

It has always been true that many people are reluctant to see their doctor. This reluctance increases during hard times. The percentage of households that report cutting back on medical expenses has gradually increased during the past year and reached a high of 31% in February 2008. For the prior year, this percentage averaged just 21%.