I believe that the main way to get people to "act environmentally" is to provide them with 'carrot and stick' incentives such as are found in the 'real world'. Governments should adhere to the maxim: "tax what you want less of and subsidize what you want more of" - For example, raise the gas tax (to reduce gas consumption and pollution) then use those government tax revenues to incentivate people to buy hybrid cars at irresistablely low prices (by providing subsidies to manufacturers and eliminating all purchase taxes).