I'm new here, but I just had a couple of thoughts.
First, check out:
CouchSurfing - Participate in Creating a Better World, One Couch At A Time
and
Teardrops & Tiny Travel Trailers :: Index
What do these have to do with economy? After reading several posts on here from folks trying to improve the economy of their travel trailer tow vehicles it hit me that I don't worry about a big honking tow vehicle because A) I usually couchsurf when I travel, which also gives me a chance to meet other people and enjoy their local knoweldge as I explore a new area, and B) Even when I don't couchsurf, the teardrop trailer I am building will not only be towable by my 4-cyl Trooper diesel, but probably by almost any other car on the road.
The same is true of my sailboat, which I towed home behind a diesel Rabbit...something I would not have been able to do had I chosen a larger boat.
Thoughts? What other ideas do we have for reducing the need for such large vehicles? Having once had 5 kids (blended family - we drove a diesel Suburban) and worked around youth groups, horses, and dairy farms growing up, I understand that often there is a need for large vehicles, but how can we adjust our lifestyles in order to minimize that need?