8 Products You Didn’t Know Were Made From Oil

There are times when we catch posts on other blogs that make us kick ourselves saying, why didn’t we think of that? This is one of them. The Green Routine came up with a great list of 8 products you didn’t know were made from oil. It’s almost insidious, the way petroleum has crept into the ingredients of so many items that we use on a daily basis. Well, time to make changes – lots of them! We can’t keep using oil like it’s a never-ending resource. Here are a few of the items on The Green Routine’s list – get the rest at TheGreenRoutine.com.

1. Paper Cups - Paper cups are coated with plastic or wax in order to make them waterproof. We know plastic is derived from oil or natural gas, but did you know most wax is too? The type of wax used to waterproof paper cups is polyolefin wax — which is a polymer derived from oil or natural gas.
2. Candles - Speaking of wax, did you know that candles are also made from polyolefin wax? A natural alternative to burning polyolefin wax candles are beeswax candles.
3. Fruits & Vegetables - That wax coating on your store bought fruits and vegetables is (you guessed it) also made from petroleum. Another good reason to shop at the local farmer’s market!
4. Reusable Shopping Bags - Many reusable shopping bags on the market today are ironically made from the same oil derived materials they are designed to replace. Reusable shopping bags are typically made from non-woven polypropylene — PP or resin ID code 5 for short. While these bags are recyclable, I would recommend purchasing a heavy duty canvas reusable bag instead. Canvas reusable bags are made from cotton, and last longer.

Link [TheGreenRoutine]
Photo credit: Flickr user nestor galina

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