Telephones, clothing, skis, antihistamines, ballpoint pens, music cassettes, toilet seats, antifreeze, and gasoline: What do these items have in common? All are often made from oil. The United States, like other industrialized nations, bases much of its economy on numerous products made from oil. When extracting, storing, handling, or transporting oil, there is always the chance of an accidental spill. Oil spills often damage physical environments and harm species. In this Activity, you will simulate an oil spill in freshwater, and experiment with various methods of oil spill cleanup.