Time to worry?

On the environmental policy/awareness front, there was a lot going on in the late 1970's. Then Reagan happened and the low oil prices of the 1980's erased environmental concern from the public mind, and effectively disuaded R&D in relevant, alternative (ie. non-oil based) technologies.

After reading about the DOD wind assault, the grand, gulf o' mexico oil discovery, and today, that oil is at a 5-month low, it makes me wonder if we're not doomed to repeat that cycle, which will throw us off the path to finding much needed transportation and energy innovations.

I certainly hope that my concern is premature and that public awareness (and mainstream media coverage) of environmental issues (such as climate change, energy) won't fluctuate with the price of oil, but will instead stay the course and eventually become a priority instead of an after thought.