Chewing gum: It lasts as long as it does for a reason—just about all brands on store shelves today use petroleum-based polymers. According to my friends at Planet Green, Goodyear, the tire and rubber company, supplies Wrigley's with much of its gum base. Yummy!
More from Planet Green:
- Hair dye: As if the toxic chemicals in hair dye weren't enough reason to avoid coloring your hair. Try finding more natural alternatives, or just go au naturale.
Asphalt : Also known as bitumen, the material used to resurface roads (as well as in roofing materials) is an oil-based hydrocarbon. Meaning—if you noticed that road construction slowed down in your area at all in the last year, rising oil costs may well have been the reason.
Crayons: The main ingredient is paraffin wax, a petroleum product also used in most candles.
Ink: Ever wonder why so many companies with an eco-conscience tout their use of soy-based ink?
Pantyhose: ...and all other nylon products. All petroleum-based.
And there's more...
Heart Valves. Pillows. Aspirin. Ammonia. Toothpaste. Toothbrushes. Guitar strings. Shoe polish. Tape. Rubbing Alcohol. Vitamin capsules. Solvents. Caulking. Insecticides. Deodorant. Glue.
The wax layer of the packaging your frozen food comes in. (And, of course, the fertilizers that farmers used to grow much of that food.)
Given the ubiquity of oil, it's not an easy thing to get away from, no matter how much bike-riding and food-growing we do for ourselves. (Though both of things are a great start—keep 'em up!) But, like other addictions, we got ourselves hooked, and with serious effort and dedication, we can get ourselves unhooked.
