Barely a week goes by when one does not read, view or hear a news report on global warming.

And with good reason: After decades of debate, scientists and environmentalists now largely agree - some high-profile dissenters notwithstanding - that global warming is indeed rearing its ugly head.

Need evidence? Look no further than the flooding, thawing or baking occurring all over the globe.

Alarmingly, climate change, previously forecast to happen a decade or more from now, seems to be imminent, if not already upon us. Also disturbing is the fact that many global warming experts believe that we are less than a decade away from "the point of no return."

In other words, if mankind does not soon reverse ecologically unfriendly practices, the damage done to the environment will be irreversible.

The bottom line is that both voluntary and mandatory changes are in the offing that will reshape how we live our lives.

Government will generally dictate how these measures are adopted and implemented.

How well the changes are embraced, however, will be decided by consumers, businesses and industries alike.

For instance, will companies operating within industries prone to more stringent environmental regulations adapt or close up shop? Will consumers settle for different products and services, or do without, in an effort to "go green"? And will consumers more proactively seek out those businesses known for their eco-friendly practices and products?

Questions of an international nature also abound.

Will the United States, one of only a few out of 150 countries that refused to sign on to the greenhouse gas-reducing Kyoto Protocol, be granted more wiggle room on pollution issues in deference to its status as economic world leader? And will some countries have to make greater "green" sacrifices than others, and if so, upon what factors would such decisions be based?

There is no shortage of such questions, only answers.

I believe, however, that America's business community will continue to thrive by turning obstacles into opportunities.

Of course, many forward-thinking companies already are profiting from the sale of eco-friendly products:

• Since 2000, Toyota and Honda have annually doubled sales of hybrid cars in the U.S. In 2000, the two combined sold approximately 9,350 hybrids. By 2005, that number had risen to 205,749.

• NatureWorks, a division of Cargill, is profiting from a corn sugar resin that is used in the production of biodegradable cups, cutlery and plates. Sales of these three products are expected to top $500 million in 2006 and $1 billion in 2008, capturing a noteworthy portion of the $30 billion plastic and paper disposable market.

• General Electric Co. is experiencing growing demand for its Green Flagship line of products, which includes flat-screen TVs that use 39 percent less energy, and two modular lighting control systems, which the company believes could cut carbon dioxide emissions by the same amount as the planting of 300 trees.

• American farmers are increasingly profiting from their production of "natural" and "organic" products, the latter of which has grown at a rate of nearly 20 percent per year for the past seven years. In 2005, American shoppers spent more than $51 billion on natural and organic products, including fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, seafood, pet products, and even organic wine and beer.

For now, the U.S. economy is firing on all cylinders, with American consumers continuing to purchase the products and services of their choice.

But with scientific evidence increasingly indicating a global warming trend, can Americans - whose country consumes more energy and emits more greenhouse gases than any other - continue to largely ignore the impact of their choices on the environment?

With recent weather-related disasters already having impacted our economy, I'm certain those concerned about our future would surmise they should not.