Energy's silver lining

The first sign was when SUVs went from being the belles of the freeway to oversized wallflowers. Thirteen miles per gallon isn't just expensive; it's no longer chic. As U.S. automakers gear up for a new motoring sensibility, we can look forward to a more gas-thrifty future.

Then, a handful of manufacturers with overseas operations found that the costs of global shipping outweighed the cheap labor, and moved their factories back to the United States. It's not easy to abandon an expensive plant, so the movement of factory jobs has been more a trickle than a rush, but it can be expected to grow as companies consider their options for new facilities.

Now supermarkets are cutting down on shipping costs as well, by buying more local produce. Wal-Mart has announced that it will spend $400 million on local produce this year, with plans to expand such purchases in the future. The markets are finding a convenient match in cost reduction and consumer tastes. In addition, locally grown fruits and vegetables are less likely to go through the giant processing plants where produce from throughout this country and others is commingled, occasionally spreading food-borne illnesses such as salmonella and E. coli.

Sure, stores still sell bottled water shipped from New Zealand, but concerns about global warming, and the prices of long-distance goods, are making consumers more mindful of their choices.

Solar and wind energy are moving past the stage of environmental symbolism, to be viewed as realistic sources of significant energy. The New York Times reported this week on supermarkets that are installing solar panels on vast, flat roofs that previously absorbed the sun's rays to no one's advantage.