The blowback from our dangerous dependence on oil is now hitting home for us in Michigan, a million gallons of oil flooded into the Kalamazoo River recently.

One of the worst environmental disasters in the Midwest has now hit us in our own backyard and endangered one of the great rivers in Michigan, a river renowned for fly-fishing and other sport fishing, a river that is a haven for canoeists and kayakers, a river that provides jobs, opportunity and a good quality of life for countless families.

As a family-owned business that has served the metro Detroit area since 1939, Powers Distributing understands how important it is to leave Michigan strong for future generations to enjoy. The oil catastrophes in the Gulf and closer to home in Michigan are wake-up calls for all of us to work even harder to reduce our addiction to oil. Businesses can invest in renewable fuels; families can take easy steps to increase energy efficiency in their homes.