I know that oil is used for more than transportation and heating. I know that it's in household, clothing and many more manufactured products. I also know that it's in beauty products which is why I always try to buy organic. But an article in today's paper describes petrochemicals as "the glue of our modern lives and even in the glue, too." Petrochemicals, and therefore oil, are everywhere.
bicycles. sneakers. electric fans. home insulation. fast food milkshakes. deodorant. carpeting. furniture. computers. toothpaste. lipstick. vitamin capsules. the list is endless.
The article described a typical bottle of shampoo. "Nothing shows how pervasive and malleable petrochemicals are better than shampoo...The bottle is plastic. The cap is plastic. The seal and label, too. The ink comes from petrochemicals and even the glue that holds the label to the bottle comes from oil or gas. The shampoo - it's all derived from petrochemicals...Just add a bit of natural fragrance."
Because it's everywhere, it's also in our blood. Scientists are now discovering that it does interact with life, contrary to their original premise. Okay, can we have a little chemistry lesson here? Oil and natural gas are made from carbon. And what is the essence of life? Carbon! I'm no rocket scientist but I can add one and one and get two. Seems pretty basic to me.
When the Centers for Disease Control tested humans for environmental pollutants, they found 212 components, 180 of which are from products derived from natural gas or oil "What we're discovering is that there's a whole world of health effects. Many of these chemicals are disrupting the human hormone system."
So be mad at big oil companies. Swear off BP. But be aware, be very aware of how culpable we are in this problem just by being consumers in a modern world.
(Original article from Associated Press by Seth Borenstein as printed in The Valley Times Newspaper.)
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