How oil leaks into everyday life
Crude oil comes from an oxygen-free conversion by way of algae and seabed microorganisms. The hydrocarbons are found in gas, heating oil and all sorts of common products these days.
Cleaning products
Containers for cleaning products are made with oil-based plastics. They are fairly stable, light and cheap. Their contents are also by and large oil based. Surfactants are detergent substances that remove grease and water-based stains and are poisonous for aquatic organisms. People with allergies can break out in rashes and acne from them, too.
'C' is for citrus — and clean
Lemons were long used as cleaning agents before the industrial cleaning revolution. Citric acid has similar scrubbing abilities as vinegar and sodium bicarbonate — without the dangerous side affects. Citrus cleans grills and combats germs on cutting boards. The organic solutions are plentiful, biodegradable, affordable and can come free of packaging.
(Literally) tons of plastic
About 380 million tons of plastics are produced every year worldwide, but only 9 percent of that is recycled, according to a University of California study. The rest is burned, dumped or sent to a landfill. Even recycled material gets quickly trashed again. Researchers estimate that 34 billion tons of plastic will have been produced by 2050.
Straws going au naturel
The flood of plastic won't stop if people don't change their ways. That's what the European Commission has concluded, and it wants to ban sales of plastic cutlery and straws. These are items that are quickly produced, used and thrown away, only to then burden the planet for centuries to come. One major packaging producer, Tetra Pak, has since announced it will change over to making paper straws.
Image cleanup
Germany is Europe's top producer of plastic waste, according to the Federal Environment Agency. Single-family homes purchase items in smaller and individually wrapped quantities. Plastic and styrofoam packaging is generated by online shopping and used for coffee and food on the go. The city of Hanover has taken the lead by introducing a 2-euro ($2.32) deposit scheme for reusable cups.
Desperate fight against plastic buildup
India has a major problem with plastic waste. New Delhi, the capital, has banned single-use plastic, but it is just a drop in the bucket. About 1.5 million Indians earn a living collecting plastic; there is no functioning disposal system. Trash is often burned, which releases poisonous fumes.
Like the good ol' days
Containers can be more ecologically friendly, too. Before the era of plastic, dairy products came in glass. Packaging for drinks can be made out of renewable materials like wood from sustainable sources. Consumer choices can be decisive in the potential reduction of materials based on fossil fuels.
Oily discs
Every CD and DVD contains about 30 grams of crude oil, and 40 billion discs are produced every year around the world, each one made of polycarbonate, aluminum and lacquer. Many of these get thrown away. Germany's recycling rate is about 5 percent, according to the Federal Environment Agency, though the waste gets turned into eyeglass frames, computer monitor housings and vehicle bumpers.
Perched on high with liquid wood
Who says high-end consumers don't care about their ecological footprint? Gucci customers take pumps made from bioplastics in stride. Former researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute took lignin, plant fibers and wax and liquefied the compounds together. Injecting the mixture into molds allows the malleable material to be turned into other products.
Fan and eco-friendly?
This soccer top is made from recycled plastic waste — polyester and polyamide, which are derived from increasingly scarce oil resources. It takes 28 plastic bottles to make one jersey, but that can also be made from natural fibers like cotton, wool, linen, hemp and silk.
Brush well
It's never too early to learn proper oral hygiene — not just how to brush, but also which brush to use. Common toothbrushes are made of polyamide, a product based on mineral oil. Stabilizers, softening agents and dye are in the mix, too.
Natural oral hygiene
Back to basics: Toothbrushes can be made of beech wood with pigs' bristles. Tooth powder from sodium bicarbonate, coconut oil, charcoal, and a mix of turmeric, mint, clove, sage, ginger and healing clay can be just as effective as traditional toothpaste, making use of microorganisms, chalk and fennel oil. Yet much of the packaging is still plastic. Some toothpastes contain small, plastic beads.
A clean night's sleep
In the market for a new mattress? Sleeping habits, orthopedic conditions, weight, allergies and material preference (spring, latex, natural rubber or foam) all play a role. Most mattresses are made from oil-based products. Eco-mattresses contain bioplastics made from sunflower oil and castor oil.
The natural toilet
Interior designers say that the bathroom is the new living room. Many people are after something special: Toilet covers that lower automatically to reduce noise, automatic toilet seat cleaning, integrated music systems. Most bathroom items contain plastic. The eco-toilet is instead made of wood. No plastic bin required.
Oil-free cars: just a fantasy?
Biodiesel from canola oil only works with old, smelly diesel motors. Biogas only works as a small component in fuel. The auto industry is looking for energy alternatives to oil, but we are still a ways off from going completely without black gold. Even batteries need oil in their production. One bright spot: hydrogen. Regardless, the car itself contains a lot of crude oil.