Letter: Olympics have taken remarkable strides thanks to oil and natural gas
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February 16, 2018
It has been exhilarating watching the Winter Olympics in South Korea. We are very proud of the athletes on the United States team. Skilled Olympic competitors honorably represent our country. Their ages range from 17 to 39, including many college-age students just like us.
Iowa Stateis no stranger to Olympic alumni both for the United States and around the world. Already an Iowa legend, Cyclone Dan Gable was arguably the world’s best wrestler in the ’70s and a Summer Olympian. He won the Olympic gold medal in the men’s freestyle in 1972 and became a wrestling legend in the United States and across the world. He was joined in Munich by gold-medal winner Ben Peterson, bronze medalist Chris Taylor and Bob Buzzard. All Iowa State students!
There have been many changes to the Olympic games since those days, especially in how we watch them. Now when we have Iowa heroes in the Olympics, we’re able to watch them live via multiple channels. We can watch them live on cable and satellite, or via live stream on our cell phones and tablets. Back when Dan was in the Olympics, most of the fans who were able to watch the live events were in the stands in Munich or in a similar time zone. These innovations are due in large part to affordable energy and cutting edge technology created from natural gas and petroleum.
Many other aspects of the Olympics have taken remarkable strides thanks to oil and natural gas. First and foremost, natural gas and petroleum have always been crucial in providing the power necessary to make the games happen. From the power needed to light the arenas to the worldwide broadcasts and internet streams, natural gas and oil have played a critical role.
But that’s not where the role of petroleum and natural gas ends. Producing the plastics, textiles, ceramics and other tech-related fibers used in Olympic equipment are possible through natural gas and oil. The training materials the athletes use, and even the electronic devices they use to keep in touch with family halfway across the globe are made more affordable and more effective with development in natural gas and oil.
As you watch the Winter Olympics this year, keep in mind how America’s expanding energy infrastructure for natural gas and oil are working to make the games – and our United States Olympic athletes – better.
