Lipstick At $75 a Barrel?

By Rebecca Myers

As the price of a barrel of crude oil hits the $75 mark, the gas pump may not be the only place you feel the pain. About 1 million bbl. a day--roughly 5% of U.S. consumption--go toward the manufacture of plastics, detergents and other nonfuel products. Researchers are working on cheaper, eco-friendlier alternatives to oil-derived ingredients, but with the prevalence of petroleum, that's a big challenge. Here's another: Test your knowledge by checking the boxes next to the products that typically use petroleum-based ingredients. Answers are at the bottom. HOUSE PAINT

DIAPERS

TOOTHPASTE

SLIPPERS

CIGARETTES

ASPHALT

PILLS

LIPSTICK

PIANO KEYS

Answer: All these items contain some petroleum-derived ingredients.