There is a middle ground. I don't understand why all the hystaria over the extremes when just being smart about some things can make huge differences.
IF you work in a major urban area....... don't buy a house 45 minutes away by freeway. Find something closer to work or at least a way to use public transit to get to work. Don't tell me you can't do it. Every major city I have visited in the US had some type of service for the outlying areas.
IF you do change jobs and now have to use a car to get to work and it's a long distance drive. The NEXT time you buy a vehicle, DON'T buy the Suburban or Tahoe. Use some brains and buy something efficient. Yes we know you need to tow your 22' bowrider out to the lake 3 times a year. Avis rents SUVs that can tow it. The money you'll save in gas by not driving a Tahoe 360 days a year would be more than enough to cover the rental charges for the other 5 days. Hell buy a used Fleetwood.. it still gets better mileage than a Tahoe and can tow 7,000lbs.
YES we know you feel safer in an SUV, BUT if you did research you'd find that you are actually safer in most sedans. The Taurus is one of the safest family cars out there, has AWD optional, has "Command" seating and gets class leading fuel efficiency. If you have to be a Euro-snob, get a Saab 9-3 it even comes in a wagon.
IF you have more than 3 kids, buy a midsized crossover and the jumbo pack of condoms.... better yet, get snipped.
Sure there are exceptions to any of these situations. Yes there are people that hunt/offroad/get 14 feet of snow/do construction..... those people are the exceptions. As a society we need to get smarter about things.
How can we possibly think that buying a McMansion on an interest only loan with no money down 1.5 hours from work and driving in a Suburban is sustainable? Yet that is exactly what so many people do.