First of all / To begin, let me thank everyone for your interest and attention as I speak on the

topic of petroleum dependency – our dependency on oil for our energy needs.

There are several reasons why we should be concerned about our dependency on petroleum.
First, petroleum-based fuels contribute to both air pollution and global warming, two very
serious problems today. Second / Next / Furthermore / In addition, there is a limited supply of
oil in the world; therefore, we must be prepared to replace petroleum with other sources of
energy. There are many ways in which to do this on a large scale. First, we must produce fuel-
efficient cars; third / next / furthermore / in addition, we must encourage the use of public
transportation. Finally, tax breaks could be offered to businesses that conserve fuel. Similarly /
Likewise, homeowners could also be offered tax incentives for fuel conservation. It’s true that
cutting down on consumption is beneficial to the environment; nevertheless / yet, we should
keep in mind that cutting down too quickly could have a negative effect on the economy.

In conclusion / To sum up, this problem has no simple answers, but if the government,
corporations, and private citizens all work together, I feel we can solve the problem.