Getting Oregon off oil

The cost of our oil addiction

Oregon families are paying more than ever for our addiction to oil.  With rising global demand and instability in the Middle East pushing oil prices ever higher, oil dependence takes an enormous bite out of our paychecks and our economy. But the price that we pay with our money is only a fraction of the true cost of our addiction to oil.  

We pay with our lungs, every time we breathe in toxic chemicals released from burning oil.

We also pay with our beaches, coasts and oceans.  In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster dumped 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico and contaminated thousands of miles of coastline. And in 2011, an ExxonMobil pipeline spilled and dumped 42,000 gallons of oil into the Yellowstone River, which runs through the National Park. 

It doesn't have to be this way. And in 2011, Environment Oregon made encouraging inroads in our effort to break America's oil addiction.

At 54.5 mpg, a big move to get America off oil

Last summer, in the wake of the Yellowstone spill, our staff and allies got straight to work, mobilizing 10,000 people to voice their support for cleaner cars that use less oil. 

The Obama administration responded by announcing two big steps toward getting America off oil:

• The administration announced new fuel economy standards that will make 54.5-mpg cars the norm by 2025. This is the single biggest step ever taken to reduce oil consumption and global warming pollution. 
• The Obama administration also announced the first-ever standard for trucks, which will save more than 20 billion gallons of gasoline by 2018. 

In the weeks and months ahead, Environment Oregon will continue its work to push these new standards past the finish line. 

Oregon must continue to lead

Higher fuel-efficiency standards are a crucial part of the plan to get Oregon off oil — but they are only part of the puzzle. We also need to develop cleaner fuels and build livable communities linked by fast, reliable public transit. 

Imagine that instead of exporting $5 billion out of Oregon every year to the oil industry, we produced the clean energy needed to power our cars right here in Oregon with high-efficiency biofuels, wind, and solar power. With companies like Pacific Ethanol, Sequential Biofuels, Trillium, and ZeaChem, and a new, strong plug-in car infrastructure, we know this is possible.

To make it happen, we're working to get the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission to adopt a "low carbon fuel standard" that will reduce global warming pollution from transportation fuels 10% by 2020. The effect will be a shift from dirty, dangerous fuels and toward fuels grown right hear in Oregon.

With the proper infrastructure in place, Oregon households could save $10,000 every year by switching from a car-dependent lifestyle to using their feet, bikes, buses, light rail, and fast trains.

We can make this happen by building great places to live, work, and play. We need better local transit, high-speed rail, and smarter planning so your home, grocery store, job, and friends are all within a convenient distance.

That's why we're working to build support for faster passenger trains, increase funding for buses and light rail, and implement better planning that reduces global warming pollution and builds livable communities.

What you can do: Ten Tips to Get Off Oil

While we work toward lasting policy solutions, small changes can add up to a big difference in the oil we use and the pollution we emit.

Click here for our Top 10 Tips to use less oil and shrink your carbon footprint.