The Cost of Dependence

No substance poses a greater threat to our environment, national security and economy. From heating the planet to shocking consumers with price spikes, to funding anti-American regimes, we pay a high cost for our dependence on oil.

Every day, the U.S. consumes more than 20 million barrels of oil - a quarter of the world's total production.

Who Benefits?
In 2005, ExxonMobil made more than $35 billion in profit - the largest profit by any company ever. And the money that didn't go to big oil went straight overseas.

In 2006, Americans will send $232 billion overseas - nearly $450,000 every minute - to help fund foreign governments.

Big oil companies love the status quo. They want to keep drilling in pristine places like the Arctic Refuge, and most of all, they - and oil-rich countries - want us to stay dependent on oil. But the costs are too high.

More info: Oil industry profits, FY03-FY05

Putting the Planet at Risk - NOW
As the biggest consumer of oil, the U.S. is the biggest contributor to global warming. The latest science already shows that global warming is accelerating much faster than predicted. Nineteen of the hottest years on record occurred in the past 25 years, and 2005 was one of the hottest years ever recorded. Within a century, melting icebergs and ice sheets could cause sea levels to rise more than 20 feet - putting vast parts of the world under water. In the meantime, scientists predict that we will suffer through more droughts and more severe storms and that countless species will be forced into extinction.

With our security and stability at stake, we must Break Free and End Our Dependence on Oil

Photo Credit: Ingvar Tjoestheim; CASES