I would actually place most of the blame on world leaders. Up until very recently there really has been no choice for the average working stiff but to fill'r up. Even the hybrids need gas. Then there's heating oil, plastics, lubricants, and myriad other petro-based products we all use daily... like this keyboard I'm typing on right now... etc etc ad nauseam. We, as the general populace, have little choice but to simply do what we can to manage our carbon footy-prints. Short of extreme individual activism, there's no eliminating the footprint - just managing it's acreage. And sure, some folks are far more cognizant than others... but we all still rely on oil in a huge, huge way.
The world leaders, rather than pushing hard (like space-race hard) on alternative energy, allow the status quo... and that, IMO, is the root cause of our current environmental vector. I'm not saying it's the only cause - just the root.
As an aside, I was in Whole Foods recently and noticed where they line up their trash bins, they've very effectively modified all the signage. So now, when you go to toss whatever it is you no longer need, you have several options - options that make you think: "Old Cell Phones" "Glass/Metal/Plastic" "Compost/organic waste"... and my favorite "Landfill". A little thing like thoughtful signage can really make a difference. Of course the signs themselves all appear to be petrolium based sheets of plastic... oh the irony
Now, where did I put that asbestos suit? I'm sure I'll need it to survive the inevitable forum flames