Oct. 3, 2016– The Virginia Oil and Gas Association (VOGA) and other organizations from multiple states are coming together during the month of October to celebrate National Energy Awareness Month and to highlight the thousands of products made from refined or processed crude oil and natural gas. As part of that awareness effort, the groups are issuing an “American Energy Challenge” to encourage Americans to try and plan a day without the modern benefits of petroleum-based products, in hopes that in so doing, it will raise their own awareness of the many ways petroleum-based products are an integral part of our everyday lives.

The Virginia Oil and Gas Association will also engage Virginians through educational venues, an annual awards  program, contests and social media. Each week in October, the groups will highlight how these products have improved safety and security, modern medicine and public health, transportation and overall quality of life.

Virginians are encouraged to take the challenge and submit a video highlighting how they use energy and petroleum throughout the day (visit www.frackingfuels.com for contest details). They are also encouraged to post the challenge to social media using the hashtag #AmericanEnergyChallenge.

“We would like to encourage Virginians to take the American Energy Challenge,” said Ian Landon, president of the Virginia Oil and Gas Association.   “You’ll find that modern life is just about impossible without the everyday products made from oil and gas or their byproducts. Fuels, toothpaste, aspirin, shampoo, shoes, cleaning products, batteries, medicine, cosmetics and plastics are just some of the necessities of our modern life and all made in part from refined or processed crude oil and natural gas.”

VOGA Spokesperson Beth Stockner agreed.“American oil and gas provide the raw materials for products that make us safer, healthier and improve our overall quality of life,” Stockner said. “Artificial hearts, safety equipment and other health and safety products are just a few examples. Bringing attention to these modern achievements is what the American Energy Challenge is all about.”

More than 6,000 products are made from refined oil and natural gas. These include:

• Cosmetics, including soaps, cleansing creams, toothpaste, shampoo, hair spray, lotion, cologne, baby oil, lipstick, lip balm, nail polish, hand cream, shaving cream and suntan lotion;
• Plastics, used in sporting equipment, storage containers, toys, toothbrushes, artificial hearts, etc;
• Medicines, including aspirin, antihistamines, vaseline, alcohol, ammonia, antibiotics and antiseptics;
• Synthetic fabrics, including nylon, polyester and popular dri-fit athletic clothing;
• Synthetic rubber, used in gloves, shoes, boots, tires, hoses, belts and balloons;
• Carbon black, used in paints, ink, cements, batteries, televisions, radios and computers; and
• Waxes, used to make candy, gum, candles, crayons and soap.

“Many people only think of oil and natural gas in terms of gasoline for transportation or energy for our homes,” said Greg Kozera, past VOGA president. “Those uses only scratch the surface of how American produced crude oil and natural gas are used. Try to imagine a day without any of these products. Life would be very different than today — life would be much harder.”

For more information contact the Virginia Oil and Gas Association at voga.pub@gmail.com or visit www.vaoilandgas.com, www.frackingfuels.com, www.vanatgasfacts.com

Beth Stockner
Public Relations Manager
Virginia Oil and Gas Association
(276) 608-8224- Abingdon
(276) 207-8284.- Norton