Sharon McLoone, the small business blogger at our sister site Washingtonpost.com, has a great post today on this survey just released by the National Association for the Self-Employed. The survey's finding? The recent streak of sky-high energy costs have adversely affected most very small businesses--a striking 95% of their respondents, in fact.

Small business owners pointed specifically to the costs of transportation related to their jobs as the main way in which energy prices are affecting them. But as McLoone points out, citing the testimony of a Virginia florist, it is also affecting owners of businesses that involve delivering goods as well as businesses who rely upon the delivery of goods--so we're talking pretty much about everyone here.

Not to be too obsessed with our own hobbyhorses, but...you know what cuts down on transportation costs? Cloud computing. Every day that you or any one of your employees is working from home is a day you're not spending money on gas to commute, electricity to turn on the lights and the air conditioning, and Lord knows what else. Just sayin'.