Even if the world the world switched to an energy source independent of petroleum, one must not foget the fact that petroleum is an integral part of modern life in terms of the things it is used to make beyond a gasoline and other fuels. Objects as diverse as plastics, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics use various aspects of petroleum as foundations in chemical reactions. In fact, our tremendous reliance on petroleum for manufacturing and not for fuel is all the more reason to be conservative about simply burning it to drive across town.