Calling Greens: looking for links for petrochemical uses

[DagmarK]

Hi Greens.......and dem environmental activitists......

Can you help me out?

I am looking for a link that will show all the wonderful little things we use all the time in this country that is produced from PETROCHEMICALS.

I was in another thread where someone was talking about how they have 50 pairs of shoes and they keep each pair in an individual tupperware tub (with lid) because the tubs are sooooo cute. And there were other references in that thread about using GREAT plastic stuff for "compulsions". and I am aghast that these people dont even think about the impact they have on the enviroment through the wanton use of PLASTIC and their contribution to the Blood for Oil scenario we find ourselves fighting today.

I remember years ago seeing a list of things we use in the USA -- ordinary things -- that make use of petrochemicals to produce. It was astounding.

I am amazed at the lack of mindfulness about our own contributions to the war for oil ....... and the waste and gluttony that embodies our culture. Simply amazed. What planet are we from? I need to know, because in short order, we will need to return to it after we totally trash this one.

UGH. Sorry for the rant. And I don't mean to single anyone out.....but GOSH.......does anyone practice frugal and low environmental impact living anymore? Or were we ALL just completely dazzled by the yuppie bmw craze of the 80s and can't get over it?

[Bossy Monkey]

1. Google has gone nuts

For some reason, all the hits on a search for petrochemical & plastic pertain to Thailand. This may be a job for AllTheWeb.com

[Bossy Monkey]

3. EWW! PTTT! PTTT! PTTT! Trade association sites!

http://www.plasticsindustry.org/industry/benefits.htm No doubt you'll want to sign the petition to Congress to "keep the US plastics industry strong" :eyes:

http://www.ipieca.org/ Can you say fig leaf?

http://api-ep.api.org/industry/index.cfm?bitmask=002007000000000000 You'll be glad to know that they "keep America going strong." And I thought that was Flintstones chewables...

Bill Moyers on chemicals, particularly petrochemicals. Not strictly speaking relevant to your question, but a nice break from evil trade associations: http://www.pbs.org/tradesecrets/transcript.html

For petrochemicals, there's these guys, but they're so far upstream that they don't seem to have any "Your friend the petrochemical" type stuff for the general public: http://www.npradc.org/publications/papers/

Hope any of this stuff helps

[bicentennial_baby]

2. Here's a link

"Many petrochemical products are made from plastics. Plastic is made from synthetic resins. These resins are made primarily from petroleum, but some come from other natural resources including coal, natural gas, cotton, and wood. Chemical manufacturers produce and sell resins to companies that make plastic products:
Petrochemical products have evolved over the years and include:

Polyesters in the 1930s and '40s produced acrylics, nylon polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene for dishes, squeeze bottles, plastic bags, artificial flowers; silicones for lubricants, electric insulation and body implants; epoxy resins for strong adhesives; polyesters used for boat hulls and, in 1953, the first mass-produced automobile witrh a plastic body -- the Corvette.

Other products include plastic magnetic tapes, baby bottles, carpeting, flooring, imitation leather, microwave cookware, computer housing, compact discs, heat-resistant polyurethane foam covering the external fuel tanks of the space shuttle, conductive plastics used in batteries and wiring, stain-resistent fabrics, airplane windows, clock/radio housing, raincoats, circuit boards, steering wheels, pipes and fencing, plastic coated playing cards, gears, dolls, yogurt containers, aspirin, detergents, toothpaste, fertilizers and insecticides, cosmetics, auto hoods, fenders, electrical switches, handles for cooking utensils, furniture cushions, shower bases."

http://www.resourcefulschools.org/resources.html


Plastics revolutionized antiseptic technique in medicine...I wonder what they will do when there's no more ooil to make plastic from? Go back to glass? :shrug:

[inthecorneroverhere]

4. minimal buying

Well, I have hardly bought anything this year except for food, pet food, car insurance, telephone bill, heating oil (as minimal as possible), vet bills (cats).

The reason is that:

1) I don't want to support *shrub-o-nomics
2) I don't want to support Made-in-China
3) I already have all the clothes etc. that I need
4) Cut down on expenses

I live in a very rural area and have to haul my own recycle-garbage. Thus I am cognizant about not doing wasteful stuff.

I'm not a green activist really, but I love to hike and do outdoors stuff, and I am a BIG supporter of conservation.

[DagmarK]

5. You convinced me........I WILL marry you!!!!!!

Just kidding! :-)

but I hope to hear about the same thing from whoever I might marry! :-)

[DagmarK]

6. Thanks you guys...........

I appreciate your help.

undisclosed.....those links kind of add 'fuel" (pun) to the assertion that we are totally addicted to plastics.

[thermodynamic]

7. I had a bunch on my politics page at one point, but here are 2

I archived the page, but here are a couple of links...

http://www.priweb.org/ed/pgws/uses/uses_home.html (a reasonably good page)

http://www.saskschools.ca/~carnduffelem/oilpages/uses.htm (okay, written by a bunch of kids but at least the Canadian school systems are brave enough to teach something that's of vital concern, unlike what the American pukes would 'teach'...)