Nachoman's summer 2010 enginehouse challenge.

[P5se Camelback]

... a person who totally gave up the use of all petroleum based products, ... the guy who proclaims "I am saving the earth because I cut my driving down from 175 miles a week to 150," well, the only acknowledgement he'll get from me is "hypocrite!"

Seriously, I tried really hard to walk on by this topic, mum. But the OCD took over as I went to click on "View new posts."

Reduction in the use of gasoline, regretably, would do little to reduce petroleum needs in this or any other developed nation, as nearly all plastics and synthetic compounds used in the manufacture of 90+% of consumer products are petroleum based. A quick scan of E. I. DuPont de Nemours' product offerings, coupled together with the two or three dozen other synthetic materials producers in this country alone should bear that claim out. It seem to me that those who profess the goal of a non-petroluem lifestyle are somewhat naive to the manufacture of those things they use without thinking in their everyday lives.

To go back to a non-petroluem lifestyle would be an unbearable, unacceptable existance to even the most devoted tree-hugger, unless an existance that mirrors that of Ted Kazinsky seems incredibly attractive. And a ten minute search of his delightfully woodsy shack would have no doubt revealed plastic keys on his manifesto typewriter or a plastic roll holder in his bathroom T.P. dispenser.

One bored Sunday afternoon, just for grins and giggles, take a pad of paper and go room to room, listing all those things that have any kind of a petroleum-based component in its manufacture. My guess is that if you removed each of them from your living experience, you would be enjoying the most spartan of exisitances!

Hope you're enjoying the use your wooden handled tooth brush with the boars' hair bristles and writing with that quill pen diped into the glass bottle of india ink! Have that all-important blotter handy!

However, I must express supreme kudos to Kevin for his inventiveness, creativity and focus in constructing an engine house that more than just portrays the look of a hardscrabbble construction bill of materials ... it actually uses such a list of components and comes out the other end in fine style!

Beautifully done, Kevin!

EDIT: Correction of overlooked spelling and punctuation errors.