Blast from the Past: In 1924 Scientific American Loved Coal (and Telepathy)

It’s well known that petrochemicals are toxic to our health. Here’s how to steer clear of these by-products of the fossil fuel industry.

“The Family Tree of Coal Tar.”

The roots of this stately tree are shown to be planted firmly in black coal, and its branches split into a dizzying array of byproducts—which are then used to make an equally dizzying array of consumer goods. In 1924 Scientific American writers gushed over all the ways that coal tar derivatives might show up in your home. Here is a quote from the caption below the illustration:

“Delicate perfumes, beautiful dyes, drugs, fire-extinguishing solutions, motor fuels, powerful explosives, fertilizers—these are but a few of the many diversified products based on coal tar.”

These days, as more folks become aware of the environmental dangers that fossil fuels pose, not to mention their health risks. Their inclusion in everyday products gets a lot less publicity.

For instance, you might not be aware that most of the fabric fibers used in clothing today are petroleum-based or that about 99 percent of all plastics are derived from fossil fuels. Petrochemicals, which are chemicals made from fossil fuels, show up in many thousands of different consumer products, including everything from crayons to cosmetics. Because of that, petrochemical production is actually climbing even as we work to cut down on fossil fuel use to power our vehicles and homes.