Whether your kids are excited to go back to school or dreading it, back to school shopping is a rite of passage for students of any age. As you shop for new clothes and school supplies, you might be surprised at just how much oil and natural gas make your back to school transition easier.
As you shop for back to school clothes, notice how much clothing is made from synthetic fabrics that are derived from oil and natural gas. Nylon, polyester, and spandex are used to make shirts, gym shorts, jackets, and more. Backpacks are often made out of synthetic fabrics with plastic zippers and clips. Even children’s shoes are made of polymers with synthetic laces and rubber soles.
Anything plastic – like scissors, markers, binders, rulers, pencil cases and more – require polymers made from oil and natural gas. For older kids, calculators and other technologies use polymer components too. Phones, tablets and laptops for high schoolers and college students have plastic components as well, and are ever more important as careers and daily life relies more on technology.
As you pack your children’s lunchboxes, remember that the Tupperware and plastic baggies that keep food clean are made from polymers. Plastic water bottles keep them hydrated, and reusable lunchboxes made from synthetic fabrics keep their lunches eco-friendly.
While natural gas powers the electricity for many schools – keeping the lights on, computers running, and maintaining a safe and successful environment for students – some schools run entirely off natural gas, like Elk Lake School District in Springville, Pennsylvania. Since Elk Lake made the switch in 2015, they’ve saved hundreds of thousands of dollars in energy costs.
Oil and natural gas also help your child get to school by powering buses. While diesel buses are most common in the United States, some buses run off of compressed natural gas, or CNG. Companies like Blue Bird and Thomas Built Buses create cost efficient and low-emitting alternative fuel vehicles that can run off of CNG.
While you’re shopping, traveling, or learning, oil and natural gas make the back to school transition possible for students and parents. Good luck this school year!