Abby CoppingerBig Game 51 is here and we’ve got our snacks, foam fingers, big screen TVs and friends ready to watch. But, it might surprise you to know that many of the things you’re counting on to make this game the best one yet might not be possible sans oil and natural gas resources.
All the ingredients for a great watch party are made with components of oil and natural gas. Here’s a few examples:
Synthetic fibers – These man-made fibers make up some of your most prized possessions: team jerseys, the lucky reclining chair that only you can sit in, and the halftime performer’s outfit (that hopefully won’t malfunction).
Plastics – Used in food packaging, utensils, serving platters, TV consoles, stadium speaker systems (for those end zone dances), and of course who can forget the red solo cup?
Food preservatives – Necessary to keep many foods fresh, including that pound of nacho cheese we all plan to consume!
Fertilizers – Allowing farmers to grow crops like corn and potatoes, key ingredients in our chip-and-dip platters.
Natural gas – Not only heats more than 50 percent of homes in the U.S., but also powers many ovens and stove tops, so you can bake your game day cookies to perfection.
Ice – The “refrigerant” or “coolant” in our ice machines and freezers depend on oil and natural gas by-products to keep cold.
And the list goes on. In celebration of the 51st year, here are 51 things our parties would have to suffer without if not for our natural resources. Cheers!
