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Why Petroleum is So Important
25Jun 2019 by Katie No Comments
Each new day, we wake up to the news that activists are lobbying for people to halt the use of petroleum products. Most of them cite the effect of fossil fuel exhaust to the environment as the primary reason why people should resist the use of petroleum products. But is it possible to live without using petroleum products? Unfortunately, it has been proven over the years to be virtually impossible.
There are almost innumerable uses of petroleum other than as a fuel. But while we can avoid emissions by limiting the use of fossil fuels and instead use green cars, eliminating the use of petroleum is impossible. Petroleum is one of those products that equate to the basics such as water. Without it, life would cease to continue. The following list shows the uses of petroleum that makes it a vital commodity:
Manufacture of plastics
Have you ever seen a home where there is nothing made of plastic? There's absolutely nothing of the sort. The mobile phone or computer that you are using right now has a bit of plastic. This shows how much important plastic is in our daily lives. Plastic is primarily made from petroleum products. In fact, almost every item has a bit of plastic. Imagine what would happen if there were no plastics.
It would be almost unfathomable having a computer that is entirely made of metal or any other material. One of the critical reasons why plastics are the primary option for many manufacturers is because they are cheaply available. There are, of course, concerns regarding the impact of using plastics on the environment. However, this should is all controllable if people recycled the plastics after the primary use. Therefore, when you think of petroleum uses, allow your mind to stroll to plastics as this is the material that has arguably the most extensive use than almost no other in the world.
If you are the kind that loves fashionable clothes, you'd be surprised to find out that a large percentage of your favorite wear comprises primarily of materials made from petroleum. These include materials such as nylon, polyester, rayon, and also the recently fashionable artificial furs. The reason why clothes manufacturers love using these oil-based materials is to improve on color and attractiveness of the linen. For instance, clothes made from polyester are more colorful than those made from cotton. Also, do you know that having a little petroleum on your clothes makes them less prone to catching fire? This may sound like the most ridiculous ideas ever, but it is the real truth. A cloth that is made of nylon, polyester, and rayon is more fire resistant than one made of cotton.
Also, apart from the metals such as aluminum and iron, what is the other material that is used to make hangers? It is plastics that are extracted from petroleum.
Take a look around your house, and you will be surprised to find that a considerable number of furniture present is made from petroleum-based products. For example, most couches are filled with polyurethane foam. This lightweight and highly durable material are extracted from petroleum. Also, linoleum that is used to make floor coverings such as carpets and rugs is derived from petroleum products.
Most of your kitchen stuff is made from petroleum products apart from the metallic ones. Items such as the fridge, door liners, foam insulation, and plastic bowls are all made from petroleum. Many people also do not use electricity for cooking as it is mostly expensive in most of the places. Instead, people cook using natural gas, which is a petroleum product. Others use kerosene to fuel their cooking stoves and lamps, and this is also sourced from petroleum.
Also, many people lately have been using non-stick cooking utensils. The material covering the surface of the non-stick cooking vessel is the one responsible for preventing temperature resistance that in return, prevents sticking of food. The cover that prevents sticking is made from petroleum.
When the use of petroleum products in vehicles crop up, many people will think of the harmful fuel exhausts. However, there is a myriad of many other essential applications of petroleum in the car industry that are not hazardous to the environment. For example, the engines of some cars are made from high-performance plastics that have seamlessly replaced the use of the expensive iron and steel. Such plastics have ensured that the vehicles are lighter and also consume little fuel than those made using metals. The car engines made from high-performance plastics are also safer to use. Additionally, most car bumpers are made of plastic, which is a crude oil product. The wires in the cars electric and electronic systems are insulated using plastics.
Additionally, most of the transmission fluids used by many cars are made from petroleum. This includes fluids such as motor oil, lubricating grease, brake fluid, and the antifreeze. We can also survive without using petroleum fuels but do you think that there's anything that can replace the use of rubber tires? There's nothing that can fit that billing. Most tires are manufactured from rubber that is strengthened using petroleum to make it more durable.
Most of the insulators that you use in your home to prevent heat loss are made from oil. This includes things like the rubber casing installed around your door to ensure that there's no space for heat loss during the winter season. Also, the insulators on your cooking vessels are mostly made from plastics.
It sounds outrageous, trying to imagine the connection of food to petroleum. However, if you've been keen, you've noted that the prices of fertilizers always go up when those of petroleum rise. The reason is that petroleum is a common fuel in the manufacture of fertilizers that are in return used for food production.
In a nutshell, it would be futile to exhaust the importance of crude oil as the uses are almost endless. Petroleum is one of the essential materials that we cannot afford to live without. In this light, more people should ignore some of the exaggerations that some environmentalists put across on why petroleum use should be avoided at all costs. The truth is that it would be almost impossible to find replacements for petroleum products use.