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The Impact Of An Oil Refinery Through The Eyes Of A Thirteen Year Old

March 13, 2015 in Mom Life, Teens

Last night I was helping my daughter study for her 7th grade Science test. I was happy to take on that challenge as lately we have been experiencing the I’d-rather-just-hang-out-in-my-room-by-myself-and-ignore-the-world teenager stuff and she was actually very welcoming to have me step foot in her room. Alright honey, let’s talk anemones, asexual reproduction, herbivores and…oil refineries??? Yeah, I’ll get to that but first…

A little background on my sweet thirteen year old.

She’s smart. Like really smart. 4.0 every quarter so far this year and she wants to be a biomedical scientist. She wants to find a cure for cancer and I totally believe she could! She’s MY kid for gawd’s sake..of COURSE she’s brilliant. Ok, ok, I wasn’t a straight A student like her, but I do consider well educated.

At any rate, as she curled up on her bed and I in her chair, we got to a question about sea life and things that are detrimental to their well-being. One of the answers? Oil refineries.

oil8

I then quietly asked her if she knew that our town was in the process of building an oil refinery in our city limits.

She looked at me blankly, with that look that teenagers give when they are about to give an eye roll, and said, “What? For real?”

I proceeded cautiously and responded with, “Yes, it’s been in the works for months now.”

It wasn’t even seconds later that I could see the look of frustration on her face. “Are you serious? Whose idea was this? Why? Don’t they realize how horrible this is for the environment? For the air we breathe? For us and the other living beings?”

oil-refinery-getty-2-620x330

She became quite interested as to where this oil refinery was going to be located and when it was going to be here. I answered the questions that she had as best as I could and informed her that this “business” will be good for the city’s economy, for job growth and the city will profit off of this immensely.

“So it’s all about money?”

A thirteen year old with common sense, fear and so many questions.

 

Image via Getty Images

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. mariac@toughcookiemommy.com'Tough Cookie Mommy says

    March 14, 2015 at 3:06 am

    I have always said that kids are very astute at noticing things that adults don’t notice. From the mouths of babes…

    Reply
  2. jeffmarias2001@yahoo.com'Maria says

    March 15, 2015 at 1:52 pm

    Kids say it like it is. That is pretty sharp of her. I agree with her but also know it’s a necessary evil.

    Reply
    • mariac@toughcookiemommy.com'Tough Cookie Mommy says

      March 15, 2015 at 10:36 pm

      This is very true. That is one of the things that I love about children, that they don’t hold anything back.

      Reply
  3. editor@girlgonemom.com'Heather says

    March 15, 2015 at 8:07 pm

    If only the rest of the world were child-like. It is unfortunately all about the all mighty dollar.

    Reply
  4. massmommie@gmail.com'Robin Rue (@massholemommy) says

    March 15, 2015 at 10:24 pm

    Kids notice everything. They pick up so much more than adults.

    Reply
  5. aimeefauci@gmail.com'aimee fauci says

    March 16, 2015 at 12:00 am

    Well there is a flip side to this. While it might be bad for the environment …it is necessary for our cars to run. Hopefully something will be invented to make cars run without oil but that is affordable.

    Reply
  6. celebbabylaundry@gmail.com'celebbabylaundry says

    March 16, 2015 at 3:42 am

    Amazing, even a child can understand why they do this.

    Reply
  7. loisaltermark@gmail.com'Lois Alter Mark says

    March 16, 2015 at 5:26 am

    It’s always refreshing to hear a child’s perspective. They’re so much more innocent and can cut right to the point. And they’re often much smarter than we give them credit for.

    Reply
  8. perezfamily95@aol.com'Carmen Perez (listen2mama) says

    March 16, 2015 at 3:32 pm

    Smart kids always pickup on what the true issues at hand are. Godd for her!

    Reply
  9. maureen@adebtfreestressfreelife.com'Maureen @ A Debt Free Stress Free Life says

    March 16, 2015 at 3:36 pm

    Money can be for good too. If people with money didn’t donate lots of charitable works would go undone. It’s hard to teach children the delicate balance around greed vs good works.

    Reply
  10. editor@canadianmomeh.com'CanadianMomEh.com says

    March 16, 2015 at 4:19 pm

    It’s amazing how kids can be in tuned with many things that we tend to overlook as adults.

    Reply
  11. khourtniey@gmail.com'Life as a Convert says

    March 16, 2015 at 6:39 pm

    Young children always see the realistic side of things like this.. They say children speak the truth.. We should listen to them more 🙂

    Reply
  12. sixtimemommy@Gmail.com'Jeanine says

    March 16, 2015 at 6:55 pm

    Kids see more, hear more and know more than we realize! I wish more adults were like kids in this way!

    Reply
  13. amanda.mcmahon@gmail.com'Amanda McMahon says

    March 16, 2015 at 6:59 pm

    She can volunteer for clean ups and look at non-“essential” petroleum products to stop using.

    Reply
  14. soaringplaces@gmail.com'Rosey says

    March 16, 2015 at 7:03 pm

    I always value my teen’s input on things. This is exactly why.

    Reply
  15. racheldmorris@gmail.com'Rachelle J says

    March 16, 2015 at 7:28 pm

    Sometimes hearing something from a child’s perspective can really put things into focus. Great story!

    Reply
  16. denise.gabbard@gmail.com'Denise Gabbard says

    March 16, 2015 at 7:36 pm

    Yes, it is all about money…and your daughter is VERY smart. Unfortunately, there are lots of grownups who don’t see the connection, and others who choose to ignore it.

    Reply
  17. thelesleyshow@gmail.com'Lesley says

    March 16, 2015 at 8:26 pm

    I don’t think people realize the impact that an oil refinery has. It’s good to get perspective.

    Reply
  18. pamwattenbarger@yahoo.com'Pam says

    March 16, 2015 at 8:38 pm

    My son in law grew up around oil refineries. He is always shocked when we go to a pretty beach because all the beaches he was around were kind of gross.

    Reply
  19. Hbludman@gmail.com'Helene Cohen Bludman says

    March 16, 2015 at 9:07 pm

    With kids (and some adults) the issues are often black and white, when in truth they are more complex than that.

    Reply
  20. lizventuresblog@gmail.com'Liz Mays says

    March 16, 2015 at 9:28 pm

    Sometimes they say exactly what needs to be said. She’s going to grow up to be a very smart individual.

    Reply
  21. angela@aboutamom.com'Angela says

    March 16, 2015 at 10:47 pm

    You’ve got a smart girl. Sadly, it seems most things come down to money. Especially when elected officials are involved.

    Reply
  22. pam@imperfectwomen.com'Pam says

    March 16, 2015 at 11:27 pm

    Love that you are having these kind of conversations with your 13 year old. We need more of this type of engagement between parents and their children. It could lead to great things for all of us and less issues in society.

    Reply
  23. chrissy4gordon24@yahoo.com'Chrissy Mazzocchi says

    March 17, 2015 at 2:41 am

    Kids are so amazingly perceptive, what a smart 13 year old!

    Reply
  24. swtiine@gmail.com'Annie says

    March 17, 2015 at 4:18 am

    It all boils down to money nowadays. I love that you’re having this conversation with your 13-year old though!

    Reply
  25. donnalaward@gmail.com'Donna Ward says

    March 17, 2015 at 1:05 pm

    I was very aware of world issues at 14 – a bit older – and it’s great to see that your daughter is so aware and you are guiding her

    Reply
  26. dragonfly1611@gmail.com'Sarah Bailey says

    March 17, 2015 at 4:27 pm

    Sounds like a smart girl and good she is already taking interest in what is going on close to home.

    Reply
  27. media@mykidsguide.com'mykidsguide says

    March 17, 2015 at 5:47 pm

    Kids are very sharp. What a smart 13 year-old. I wish mine was as smart

    Reply
  28. annb10@rogers.com'Ann Bacciaglia says

    March 17, 2015 at 7:12 pm

    You must be proud to have such a great little girl. It is great that kids ask questions and want to help shape their future.

    Reply
  29. info@casavilorainteriors.com'Veronica says

    March 18, 2015 at 12:46 am

    This is where I would sell my house and move. I would not live near one. Your daughter is right to express her concerns

    Reply
  30. thrillofthechases@gmail.com'Alice Chase says

    March 18, 2015 at 3:14 am

    So observant! Kids are often willing to say the things that adults aren’t.

    Reply
  31. cyndi@momelite.com'Cyndi says

    March 20, 2015 at 6:25 pm

    What a smart girl! A lot of teenagers could care less about something like this happening.

    Reply
  32. cif894@gmail.com'jerry says

    April 3, 2015 at 12:01 pm

    the kid is a genius.hope the world brings up so much kids like that who can change.Am really proud of this kid.

    Reply

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Here’s what you need: 
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🍁 Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. 
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We've been loading up on protein, carbs and chocolate milk in our household!  For every Cass Clay milk you purchase, you can snap a photo of your receipt, upload it to http://www.fueltheirdrive.com/cassclay and have a chance to win up to $10k for your athletic department. Is your school on the leaderboard?  Check out the top schools for the area here:
https://fueltheirdrive.com/cassclay/en-us/Leaderboard

Again, quick recap on how you can help your high school athletic department:  Simply buy Cass Clay milk, snap a photo of your receipt and upload it to www.fueltheirdrive.com/cassclay and then vote for your favorite high school!  Help push your school to the top.  Find Cass Clay milk at a local retailer near you, including Walmart.

CASS CLAY WILL AWARD 16 GRANTS RANGING FROM $1K-$10K TO SCHOOL COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING NORTH DAKOTA! WIN-WIN! LET'S GOOO! 

No Purch. Nec. Ends 10/15/21. 16+, IA, IL, KS, MN, NE, ND, WI only, Rules: http://pl.fyi/zw2
My famous “mom” line is, “make sure you are My famous “mom” line is, “make sure you are drinking water!” Or “are you drinking water?” Or “do you need some more water?” Any sort of variation can come out of my mouth at any given time.  Ask my kids and they will confirm.  If there is one thing that I know is that staying hydrated is so important. 

Clean drinking water is even better! I introduce to you ZeroWater.  Only ZeroWater leaves 000 dissolved solids, for the purest tasting water. ZeroWater is the only filter certified by the NSF to reduce both Lead and Chromium. It also has a premium 5-stage filter versus the standard conventional 2-stage filter used by other brands.

I am teaming up with @zerowater000 to give away a zero water pitcher.  This pitcher comes with a water quality meter and premium 5-stage ion exchange filter!

The Ready-Pour technology allows you to dispense filtered water as the reservoir continues to filter. No need to wait until the pitcher is full to start enjoying.

Here’s the deal and the rules. 
*must “like” this post
*follow @mamasitaal 
*follow @zerowater000
*tag a friend to receive an extra entry (the more you tag, the more entries you get)

It’s that easy to enter. 
Good luck! 

This giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram. 
Winner will be announced on 10/15/2021 
#ZeroWater #LiveLifeAtZero #creatorco #onetreeplanted #creatorsplanttrees
Today’s good mood is sponsored by coffee. #nati Today’s good mood is sponsored by coffee.

#nationalcoffeeday should be every day and let me tell you, Starbucks cinnamon dolce is my fave.  I top mine off with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Perfection. 

Are you a coffee fan? If so, what is your favorite coffee brand? How do you like your coffee? How many cups do you drink per day? 

#coffee #coffeelover #coffeegram #coffeeaddict #coffeelife #coffeeholic #coffeedaily #coffeecoffeecoffee #coffeevibes #coffeebreak #coffeeislove #yumyum #cantleavewithoutit #cantleavehomewithoutit❤️
Crisp air. Pretty leaves. Sweaters and boots. Foot Crisp air. Pretty leaves. Sweaters and boots. Football. Coffee and pumpkins.  I love fall. 

#ourneighborhood #myneighborhood #fallseason #fallisintheair #fallismyfavorite #fallvibes #fallcolors #changeisgood #beautifulview #myviewrightnow #myviewisbetterthanyours #sunrise #gorgeousviews #autumn #autumnvibes
Sorry Kanye, but this is the greatest of all time. Sorry Kanye, but this is the greatest of all time. The Goat of all soups. And it’s easy to make too. 

🍁 Vegetable Soup 
Here’s what you need: 
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 medium)
2 cups peeled and chopped carrots (about 5)
1 1/4 cups chopped celery (about 3)
4 cloves garlic , minced
4 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth* or vegetable broth
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes (undrained)
3 cups peeled and 1/2-inch thick diced potatoes (from about 3 medium)
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped frozen or fresh green beans
1 1/4 cups frozen or fresh corn
1 cup frozen or fresh peas 

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🍁 Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. 
🍁 Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute 4 minutes then add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer.
🍁 Add in broth, tomatoes, potatoes, parsley, bay leaves, thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste*.
🍁 Bring to a boil, then add green beans. 
🍁 Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until potatoes are almost fully tender, about 20 - 30 minutes. 
🍁 Add corn and peas and cook 5 minutes longer. Serve warm.

For the full how to: check out Vegetable soup on the cookingclassy.com. 

#comfortfood #soupseason #soupdejour #souprecipes #nummanum #yummy #soupfordays #fallsoup #fallsoupseason #vegetablesoup #vegetablesoup #soupmaker #deliciousness #delicious #cookingclassy #comfortfoods #goatsoup🐐 #greatestofalltime #whatsfordinnertonight #whatsfordinnertomorrow #itswhatsfordinner
Tis’ the season to be fall-y. Be prepared for Tis’ the season to be fall-y. 

Be prepared for a slew of Autumn season posts.  Fall is my favorite. 

I love the colors. I love the decor. I love the fall fashion. I love the fall food.  I love it all! I had a few floral arrangements I had created by  different local small town florists.  Here are my faves.  Aren’t they gorgeous? And how cute is that little pumpkin? 

What’s your favorite season? 

#falldecor #fallfashion #fallcenterpiece #fallcenterpieces #fallstyle #falldecorations #fallready #fallharvest #fallisintheair #fallflowers #autumn #autumnvibes #autumndecor #autumnvibes🍁 #pumpkindecor
As I sit here at my current job (I am a radio adve As I sit here at my current job (I am a radio advertising sales rep), I am reminiscing about past jobs I have had in my life. Here are a few…can you guess which job I have not had?

1. On air personality (deejay)
2. Celebrity entertainment writer
3.  Grocery store checker
4. Zoo attendant 
5.  Housekeeper 

I’ll share the answer later in my story.  Don’t forget to share the first job you ever had! 

#jobs #jobsihad #jobsihadbefore #whatsayyou #shareyourstory #employment #whatidid
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