This opinion article first ran in the Santa Fe New Mexican on September 1st.
Oil Supports Students from Backpack to Bus Ride
By Missi Currier
Welcome back to school, New Mexico! With families getting back to their school routines, the usual checklist comes out: notebooks, pencils, backpacks, lunchboxes. As we stock up on school supplies, it’s easy to overlook the science and energy behind the scenes. From powering classrooms to producing the materials we rely on, oil and gas quietly support nearly every aspect of our educational system—making schools more accessible, comfortable, and functional for students and teachers alike.
That backpack your child slings over his or her shoulder? It’s likely made from nylon or polyester—petroleum-based fabrics. The pens and markers they use? Plastics and inks derived from petrochemicals. Even the glossy covers of notebooks, the adhesives in binders, and the synthetic soles of gym shoes trace back to hydrocarbons.
Without oil and gas, these everyday items would be harder to produce, more expensive, and often less durable. Alternatives exist, but they’re not yet scalable or affordable for the millions of students who rely on them.
Walk into any classroom and you’ll see petroleum’s fingerprints everywhere. Desks, chairs, whiteboards, flooring, lighting, HVAC systems—all rely on materials or energy sourced from oil and gas. These aren’t luxury items; they’re the infrastructure of learning. They create safe, comfortable environments where students can focus, collaborate, and grow.
The school day begins and ends with transportation. Most school buses still run on diesel. Many teachers and parents commute in gas-powered vehicles. Delivery trucks bring food, books, and supplies. While electric options are emerging, petroleum fuels remain essential for ensuring students can physically get to school—especially in areas where distances are long and infrastructure is limited.
The pandemic accelerated our reliance on digital tools. Tablets, laptops, smartboards, and routers all contain petroleum-based components. Even the data centers that store educational content often run on electricity generated from natural gas. The very tools that enable remote learning and digital equity are built on the backbone of traditional energy.
Schools are among the largest energy consumers in many communities. Oil and gas heat buildings, power emergency systems, and keep water hot for cafeterias and science labs. Vocational programs—from welding to automotive tech—use petroleum products directly in their curriculum. These aren’t just tools; they’re teaching aids.
Beyond materials and energy, the oil and gas industry contributes financially to education. In New Mexico and other energy-rich states, taxes and royalties from oil and gas fund public schools, universities, and community programs. In the last year alone, the New Mexico oil and gas industry generated over $2.3 billion for our schools. These dollars help build the very workforce we all rely on for generations to come—engineers, geologists, safety experts, environmental scientists, and even our future teachers.
Back-to-school season is more than a shopping spree—it’s a reminder of the complex systems that support learning. Oil and gas byproducts are in almost every backpack zipper, bus ride, and warm classroom on a cold morning.
The oil and gas industry is proud to produce the resources that help generations of students learn, grow, and succeed. Because when it comes to education, energy isn’t just part of the story—it’s foundational.
We wish all New Mexico students and teachers a fun, productive year full of growth!
