As we’ve watched in horror as oil engulfs the entire gulf coastline, it’s no wonder that the people of the area are feeling helpless. Americans undoubtedly are pondering what could have been done in order to prevent the tragedy. The spill was caused by BP’s oil-well failure.

But, the vast amount of oil that had been deposited there in advance of the problem is also a factor, get more info?

The gallons of oil brewing in BP wells result from a growing societal reliance on this substance. This is due to years of storing it for personal use and industrial advancement. International Energy Outlook of 2010 by U.S. Energy Information Administration analyzed trends and found that the worldwide consumption for liquid energy resources, including petroleum, has gone up from 150 quadrillion Btu less in 1990 to 175 quadrillion Btu more in 2007. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s International Energy Outlook for 2010, this trend is projected to continue. This will lead to a rise from 86.1 billion barrels per dya in 2007 to 92.1 billion barrels by 2020. The modern economy and industry rely on oil as a fundamental component. This is why it has become as essential to American health and wellbeing as water. In addition to oil’s use in the auto and fuel industry, industrial and manufacturing centers also abuse the substance alarmingly. Their usage is justified by the demand generated by consumer and commercial markets.

There is no indication that the oil use will decrease and there are more disasters to come, such as those on the southern coast. However, many parts of industry ignore this reality in the interest of short term financial gains. Select manufacturers however are actively working to reduce America’s dependency on oil and to encourage environmentally sustainable production methods. ECORE International in Lancaster Pennsylvania is a thriving organization that has found creative ways to reduce waste, recycle and reuse. As a private manufacturing business, ECORE International saves one million barrels oil per year and recycles 80 million pounds tire rubber to make products that are sold in commercial and industrial markets. This one company’s energy savings are equivalent to heating over 600 homes.

Even though it’s discouraging to know that the majority of industries are not implementing conservation initiatives, companies which have embraced alternative production methods remain unabated with their support for the change. Oil disaster is still ravaging the natural world, and these companies struggle to maintain it.