According to Oil Spill Prevention and Response, oil spill releases have declined from 246 incidents in the 1970s to 33 incidents in the 2000s. Approximately 46 percent of oil that enters the environment is naturally occurring. This accessible volume describes how oil spills occur, how they affect the environment, and how they can be cleaned up and prevented. Readers are provided with thorough and balanced information on oil spills and will be inspired to think critically about how these events affect their community and the world at large.