For now it cannot be proven nor disproved to an absolute degree. One side will tell you the temperature, the ice caps melting and the climate change is a natural cycle. On the other hand, they say green house gases, massive amount of pollution and the increase in the human population have sped up this natural cycle.
The way I see it these so called 'conscience' businesses profit by producing green friendly appliances, automobiles and electronics at higher market value forcing the younger generation to cough up their trust funds so they can seem 'intelligent' in front of their friends.
Should energy companies switch to alternative fuel? Yes. Definitely since this will only boost their home economy by relying on solar, wind and other alternative fuels by cutting off all the middle men outside their homes (i.e. the middle east nations). In return the switch would create more jobs, the middle east would cease to have the upper hand within the power struggle within the world for oil, which would lead to a more stabilized area with less conflicts.
It would cost the companies during the shift but I believe they would bounce right back as no longer are the mass population ignorant of these alternative fuels. They're would be a huge surge in people signing up as long as the corporation take the hit by lowering costs or at least matching their oil consuming counterparts for the first few years but eventually the revenue stream would stabilize or more likely reach higher proportion.
Looking at the North American culture today, being conscientious as a consumer is 'in' thing right now; the only problem is no one wants to pay the high prices (both consumer and producer).
