Instead of pointing fingers of blame at BP we should first take a long thoughtful and constructive look at our own individual dependence on fossil fuels. We create the demand for the oil that is drilled up from the ocean sea beds. Our individual fingerprints are on the oil in the gulf that is now killing wildlife and ruining livelihoods. We must take action now to ween ourselves from our dependency on fossil fuels, an addiction that is destabilizing our climate, our economy and our national security.

First, the ugly news: You've probably watched or read about the oil disaster that is unfurling along the Gulf Coast. Thousands of barrels of crude oil are steadily gushing into the Gulf every day, threatening the lives, health, economy, and environment of an entire region. The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a stark reminder of the true cost of America's oil dependence. The federal government's response to this crisis must start with containing the spill and cleaning up the gulf, but it also needs to implement comprehensive climate and energy policies that address U.S. oil addiction. The climate and energy bill, currently stalled in the Senate, must ensure disasters like this never happen again, by creating a clean, safe energy economy for America.