Now I may seem smart or stupid here…

or some of you may just not give a shit at all, that’s cool too. If that’s the case though, then why the hell are you reading this?

There are some things in this world that I just plain don’t think about. Last night however, as I was taking my eye makeup off with Vaseline, I got to thinking about how petroleum jelly was made. I knew it came from oil, but wasn’t sure of the process. So, I asked my hubby. You know how when you are a kid, you ask your parents a question and always expect them to have an answer? Well, that’s how I am with my hubby. He is just flat out smarter than me, which, and I will be honest here, tends to annoy me at times, but I’m getting over it.

He started telling me all the things that come from oil that I never thought of, basically plastic in general. So our carpet, clothes, plastic bottles etc… all come from oil. “Pretty much at least half of the stuff in this house comes from oil”

Officially, my mind was boggled. My writer/filmmaker brain kicked on of course and I compared it to some foreign planet where everything came from one source, Atlantis and crystals, Krypton and Kryptonite… On top of that though, how the hell did scientists figure this out? I keep revising my opinion of myself, I seem to get more naïve and dumb everyday, isn’t that lame? The more I learn, the dumber I feel. Perhaps “Ignorance is Bliss.”

I will admit, I have my moments of being a tree hugger, although I’d like to think of it as a responsible, informed consumer, but really, take a look at the list below of all the products that come from oil. What will we do when the oil disappears? No such thing will happen you say. I’m not so sure about that.

I am a fan of bio-diesel, or fuel made from the oil of plants not crude oil. Mr. Diesel actually made the diesel engine to run on peanut oil. Australia has bio-diesel at their petrol stations right next to regular unleaded. Should I buy a car I may try to buy diesel. It is possible to make your own fuel. Seems to me, and I know I’m not so smart about some things, that we should try to make as many of these imperative products with alternative materials if at all possible.

Products Made from Oil

Ink Dishwashing liquids Paint brushes Telephones
Toys Unbreakable dishes Insecticides Antiseptics
Dolls Car sound insulation Fishing lures Deodorant
Tires Motorcycle helmets Linoleum Sweaters
Tents Refrigerator linings Paint rollers Floor wax
Shoes Electrician's tape Plastic wood Model cars
Glue Roller-skate wheels Trash bags Soap dishes
Skis Permanent press clothes Hand lotion Clothesline
Dyes Soft contact lenses Shampoo Panty hose
Cameras Food preservatives Fishing rods Oil filters
Combs Transparent tape Anesthetics Upholstery
Dice Disposable diapers TV cabinets Cassettes
Mops Sports car bodies Salad bowls House paint
Purses Electric blankets Awnings Ammonia
Dresses Car battery cases Safety glass Hair curlers
Pajamas Synthetic rubber VCR tapes Eyeglasses
Pillows Vitamin capsules Movie film Ice chests
Candles Rubbing alcohol Loudspeakers Ice buckets
Boats Ice cube trays Credit cards Fertilizers
Crayons Insect repellent Water pipes Toilet seats
Caulking Roofing shingles Fishing boots Life jackets
Balloons Shower curtains Garden hose Golf balls
Curtains Plywood adhesive Umbrellas Detergents
Milk jugs Beach umbrellas Rubber cement Sun glasses
Putty Faucet washers Cold cream Bandages
Tool racks Antihistamines Hair coloring Nail polish
Slacks Drinking cups Guitar strings False teeth
Yarn Petroleum jelly Toothpaste Golf bags
Roofing Tennis rackets Toothbrushes Perfume
Luggage Wire insulation Folding doors Shoe polish
Fan belts Ballpoint pens Shower doors Cortisone
Carpeting Artificial turf Heart valves LP records
Lipstick Artificial limbs Hearing aids Vaporizers
Aspirin Shaving cream Wading pools Parachutes