What We Can Learn From the Oil Spill

The giant oil spill off the coast of Louisiana is a wake up call. Americans need to do something about our dependence on oil. And do it quickly. The extent of the spill, as well as the implications it has on wildlife and the oil supply for the country, are all massive. This is a tragedy mostly because of its preventability. Oil rigs are destructive and would be deemed completely unnecessary if we utilized renewable resources to any significant effect in this country.

The demand for oil in America is steadily increasing. Each year, the U.S. uses more than a quarter of the total amount of oil used in the world, despite having less than five percent of the world's population. Americans disproportionately consume oil by a mind-blowing amount. The lack of consciousness of the problem, as well as a nation-wide apathy and disregard, contribute greatly to this disproportional dependence.

What I hope is that the oil spill- and its immense size and cultural relevance- will wake up more Americans to their addiction to oil. There is a newly released tool on The New York Times website that allows users to follow the spread of the spill over the Gulf of Mexico since the rig explosion on April 22. This creates a visual representation of the devastation that is occurring in the seas there because of the spill.

If people took care to reduce their oil consumption then this spill may not have happened. If our collective, country-wide demand decreased, there is a possibility that it could have been prevented. People need to stop driving their cars everywhere, need to stop using plastic for everything, need to simply put on a sweater instead of turning up that dial. There are so many easy ways to cut down your personal oil consumption that there is no excuse. Take public transportation. Buy a bicycle. Recycle plastic bags or use tupperware instead. Tell your congressperson you support windmills.

There are so many ways to cut down consumption and help to prevent any more spills in the future. Please start doing your part today.