WebSpotlight: Oil Imports Map

Energy consumption and policy are on many minds, and while President Obama's recent decision to allow states to determine auto emissions and fuel efficiency standards may eventually help decrease U.S. dependence in "foreign oil," we still have an insatiable appetite for that fossil fuel.

Knowing about the history and patterns of our oil imports can help us shape our future choices. The Rocky Mountain Institute has created an Oil Imports Map, which shows "how much oil the U.S. has imported, from where, and how much we have spent every month since 1973."

The map allows us to see from whom we've gotten our oil and how much we've spent, and it connects our imports to major events such as Hurricane Katrina and the oil crises of the 1970s. It also makes it possible to pay attention to the history of our foreign relationships and how that has affected oil imports.

It's an interesting and useful tool that can help expand our knowledge and perspective of energy policy and of the impact of our own choices.

~ Marsha

h/t to Worldchanging.

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