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The United States is dependent on foreign oil and will become only more so if our oil consumption is left unchecked. Transportation accounts for over two-thirds of our oil consumption so it must play a part if we are to truly increase our oil independence.

U.S. reliance on foreign oil restricts our foreign policy and leaves us vulnerable to oil embargos and price spikes. To improve our nation's energy security, we must act now to reduce our dependence on oil. Improving the gas mileage of our vehicles is the quickest, cheapest, cleanest way to do that. Tell America's auto industry to provide you with the efficient vehicles you want.

Facts:

• U.S. dependence on oil imports is currently the highest in our history - accounting for well over half of the oil we consumeⁱ. If no action is taken, our foreign oil dependence will increase significantly so that by 2025, we will need to import over two-thirds of the oil we consumeⁱⁱ.
• Much of the world's oil lies in unstable regions, including the explosive Middle East. Furthermore, it is impossible for the United States to disregard the Middle East and OPEC's potential influence on our future oil supplies, as the majority of the world's oil reserves are concentrated in the Middle East.ⁱⁱⁱ
• Saudi Arabia holds one-fourth of the world's proven oil reserves - the largest share - followed by Iraq, at 11 percent.^iv
• The market for oil is global: if world oil prices spike, so do domestic oil prices. Reducing overall oil dependence would minimize the economic impact of price spikes.
• Transportation now accounts for the largest share of U.S. oil consumption ever - with cars and light trucks accounting for more than 40 percent of U.S. oil consumption^v. Though currently at an all-time high, transportation is expected to account for even more of our oil consumption by 2025, roughly three-quarters^vi.
• Current fuel economy standards save about 2.8 million barrels of oil a day, according to the National Academy of Sciences^vii. Furthermore, a fleet of automobiles that relies on continuously evolving conventional technologies could reach an average of more than 40 miles per gallon, nearly a 75 percent increase as compared with today's fleet^viii.
• Advanced vehicle technologies have the potential to drastically cut our transportation oil consumption. Fuel-cell vehicles could use one-third the energy of today's cars without any oil at all. Furthermore, gasoline-electric hybrid technology can double mileage in cars and trucks of any size^ix.

Despite the dangerous energy security implications of our foreign oil dependence, and the fact that technology which could increase America's fuel economy exists today, fuel economy is at a twenty-two year low and declining.^x

However, with successful hybrid cars already on the road and more hybrid and fuel cell vehicles expected within the next few years, consumers can have the vehicles they want, contribute to the nation's energy security by reducing oil consumption and protect the environment by reducing global warming pollution.

Links

• Take action now and sign up for the Patriot's Energy Pledge a civic campaign to help Americans reduce dependence on oil by taking personal steps to meet our transportation needs in more fuel-efficient ways.

• Visit the Alliance to Save Energy's Energy Action Center and become an energy activist.

• Learn more about increasing America's fuel economy with the Alliance to Save Energy's transportation fact sheet.

• For more information on fuel economy standards, click here.

• Read Alliance to Save Energy tips for saving money at the gas pump.

• Keep track of gas prices in your neighborhood.

• Learn more about the oil market and where our oil comes with the Energy Information Agency's Oil Market Basics.

• For information on clean vehicles, visit the Clean Car Campaign.

The Alliance to Save Energy is a coalition of prominent business, government, environmental and consumer leaders who promote the efficient use of energy worldwide to benefit consumers, the environment, the economy, and national security.

To learn more about the Alliance to Save Energy and how to save energy, visit http://www.ase.org.