According to News.com.au “BP’s Deepwater Horizon rig has been spilling between 3,681,500 litres and 911,454,000 litres of oil into the sea per day since it exploded on April 22.” The numbers are staggering and hard to comprehend, so let’s give them some perspective. If you lived to be 80 years old, that would be the equivalent of you dumping between 126 and 31,214 liters of crude oil into the gulf every day of your life. The flabbergasting part? That lifetime of dumping 126+ liters of oil a day would only be the equivalent of one day’s worth of oil that’s leaking into the Gulf. At this rate, we have fouled “33.5 per cent of the Gulf's federal waters” and had to spend upwards of $3.12 billion trying to remedy the situation (News.com.au).

“Why the ‘we'?” you ask. As Jon Stewart highlighted in his hysterical but striking piece “An Energy-Independent Future” on June 16th, 2010 we’ve been fooling ourselves for decades about our commitment to cutting our oil dependence. 

Still basking in the glow of July 4th we should be of the right mindset, and with the spill in the Gulf fueled with enough motivation, to move again towards independence— specifically independence from our reliance on the oil industry. It is understandable that not everyone can join the Gulf militia, magically find their sea-legs and start cleaning off rocks, ducks and dolphins. So what can you, from your Maryland suburbanite home, your Chicago studio apartment, or your Californian beach house, do about the spill in the Gulf?

1.    Get a home energy audit. It’s hard to cut down when you don’t know how much you’re using, and where. A good auditor can help you pinpoint problem areas in your home and give you tailored solutions. 

2.    Monitor your energy usage. Once you’ve tried to patch your home’s energy sapping points, how are you to measure your progress towards efficiency? Earth Aid is a free, easy tool to let you see your utility usage, scour resource-saving tips, challenge your friends, as well as reward you for your conservation. 

3.    Use public transportation. Metro, carpool, bus, train—fill up more seats and fill up less tanks of gas. Don’t know where to start? Search online for public transit. Don’t live in the city? Ask people at work where they’re from, and if they’re in your general direction, ask them if they’d be up for a carpool. You might make a great friend in the process. If that doesn’t work, there are plenty of websites that can do the tricky task of finding others with commutes compatible with yours. 

4.    If you have to drive, consolidate your driving trips. Don’t make separate voyages to the mall, supermarket and bank. Instead plan your trips in advance to make the most out of your outward voyages. This will allow you to decrease your overall gas usage, and simultaneously save both time and money. 

5.    Use cruise control. This prevents excess gas usage and foot cramps. 

6.    Pump up your tires. If your tires are properly filled, the engine doesn’t have to work as hard to rotate them, and therefore draws less gas. 

7.    Get the junk out of the trunk. Just like with your tires, the less resistance your car has to forward motion, the less gas it will take to propel you to your destination. 

8.    Be conscious of what you’re purchasing. Plastics are oil-based materials. All of the plastic bags and excess packaging that flood the shopping world contribute to the demand for new oil cultivation. Buying things in bulk helps to eliminate the surface areas required for packaging, so long as your bulk items aren’t all individually wrapped. When you can, go for recycled or bare-necessities packaging and bring your own bags. 

9.    Recycle! Preventing these plastic products from ending up in landfills by recycling allows us to melt them down and reuse the valuable natural resources. 

10.    Create your own energy. Find an alternative energy generator that appeals to you, your location and your wallet. Websites like SunRun and One Block Off the Grid can help get you acquainted with affordable solar power.  

Actions speak louder than words; so get out there and wave your rebel flag. Constantly evaluate your home, drive efficiently and tote your reusable grocery bag proudly. It’s time we severe ourselves from our manic dependence on oil, one step at a time.