Battling the sweltering summer sun in Orlando, CFACT Collegian Kyle Troy at the University of Central Florida posed a simple question to students: “What’s made from oil?”
Then came the real test: Students were challenged with selecting which items on Kyle’s table relied on petroleum. A rubber astronaut duck, plastic bag, woodchip, coin, sheet of paper, lanyard, LEGO Batman, toothbrush, and ruler were all up for debate.
Kyle Troy reveals shocking truth to students: You’re covered in oil!
While some products were much easier to identify as containing petroleum, others weren’t as obvious. Most students immediately made the connection between a plastic bag and petroleum but struggled to recognize just how far oil goes beyond the gas pump. Kyle’s event opened the door for discussion and allowed him to showcase just how relevant petroleum-based materials are in modern life.
Kyle’s “You’re Covered in Oil!” signage certainly gained attention from passersby, many of whom gravitated toward the table on their way to class to try their hand at the challenge. Some students even checked the tags in their shirts to examine the fabric makeup. Sure enough, they were dripping in oil from head to toe!
Some students’ conversations addressed replacements of petroleum in everyday products. Alternatives may exist, but not without their own tradeoffs, including higher costs and less versatility. Petroleum-based materials have found their way into thousands of products due to their lightweight, durable, flexible, and inexpensive nature.
CFACT Collegian Kyle Troy puts a UCF student’s petroleum knowledge to the test.
“There’s so much talk about getting rid of fossil fuels, but we rarely stop to think about everything we actually use them for,” Kyle said, reflecting on his event. From the clothes on our backs to the products we use daily, students walked away understanding that petroleum plays a much bigger role in our lives than fueling our cars. Often, conversations about ditching fossil fuels focus primarily on what goes in our gas tank and less on everything else that may be adversely impacted.
CFACT Collegians believe that America’s energy debate should include the whole picture. While innovation and new technology have a role to play, we are missing a critical piece of the puzzle by ignoring just how deeply petroleum is woven into everyday life.
Petroleum may not wear a cape as does LEGO Batman, but its role in modern life is nothing short of heroic.