The US-Israel war on Iran has brought into sharp focus our reliance on petroleum and natural gas. Petrochemicals are the cheap, ubiquitous feedstocks for so much we consume: the raw materials for our digital devices, cosmetics and detergents, plastic packaging, our medical supplies and fertilisers. There are greener alternatives, of course, but for now the world’s economy is hopelessly dependent.
Many of us have been avoiding filling up at the bowser to alleviate the oil and gas crunch, but the pressures are no longer just about transport costs. This left me wondering, in this global economy, could I last 24 hours avoiding petrochemicals altogether?
