The End Of Suburbia ?

How do we begin to wean society from its addiction to the suburban lifestyle?

Suburbia was created after World War II due to the affordability of natural resources and the high rate of consumption that the suburban lifestyle created.  Have we become so addicted to the way we live that we are unwilling to accept the circumstances that we have created or is it that the government and business entities that have invested so much time, money and effort into creating a an economic giant are unwilling, or perhaps unable, to deal with the problem that they have created?  Perhaps it is a combination of both.  

It is impossible to deny, as hard as some have tried, that we are currently unable to sustain our current lifestyle and its rate of consumption and with many natural resources dwindling, some at astonishing rates, we will be unable to support future generations if we continue upon our current trajectory.    

Many scientists have argues that peak oil and peak natural gas have either arrived or have already passed, and lets just assume for a minute that they are correct.  If the supply or oil and gas begin to decline while demand continues to rise we will see an astounding increase in prices that will make both almost unaffordable except to those who are exceptionally wealthy.  Then I would like you to consider what would happen to all the goods that are manufactured overseas, for they would also become either unaffordable or they will not make it to their destinations because people will be unable to afford such goods.  Even the price of food will become unaffordable as we rely upon large industrial machines to plant, harvest, and transport such goods.  The extremely sharp rise in the cost of gas and oil will affect every facet of our lives in ways we cannot even begin to fathom.  

Will we wait until it is too late before we begin to make the necessary changes that are needed or will be take a proactive approach in the problems that are currently plaguing us?