Pipelines in Straits play pivotal role in supporting heart health
Medicines, running shoes, biking gear are byproducts
Feb. 2, 2022
As February marks National Heart Month, it’s no joke that laughter provides some of the best medicine for the heart.
A hearty laugh can prompt blood vessels to expand and contract, sometimes increasing blood flow as much as 20%, according to a study done by the Franklin Institute.
Additionally, the American Heart Association recommends adults perform a moderately intense exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes a day at least five days a week.
Whether one walks, dances, runs, or rides a bike, exercise can reduce heart rate and blood pressure. It also increases the efficiency with which the heart pumps blood to the muscles and organs.
“With this being National Heart Month, it is fitting we understand the essential role Line 5 has in our routines and experiences.”
—Emma Cook, Michigan-based Enbridge community engagement advisor
As exercise supports a healthy heart, what supports exercise?
“When most of us put on running shoes, grab our bike and helmet or get on a treadmill, we don’t often stop to think about how the equipment and gear came to be,” said Emma Cook, Enbridge community engagement advisor. “Many of the items we use during the winter—like certain fabrics, jacket linings, goggles, tires and snowshoes—come from Enbridge Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac. Most people aren’t thinking about the role Line 5 plays in exercise, recreation or enduring winter temperatures—but it plays a vital role.”
The light crude oil and natural gas liquids transported safely each day through Enbridge Line 5 contribute to the manufacture of exercise equipment and thousands of everyday accessories. This includes snowboards, skates, bikes, skis, helmets, reflectors, and many more items.
For example, petroleum products comprise all components of the average running shoe. Synthetic leathers and reflective materials often comprise the upper portion. Ethylene-vinyl acetate, a soft, flexible rubber-like foam that compresses and cushions, forms the mid-sole.
Manufacture of diagnostic and other medical equipment—including the electrocardiogram that records the heart’s electrical impulses—also rely on product from Line 5, as do stents common to helping those with heart problems.
“With this being National Heart Month, it is fitting we understand the essential role Line 5 has in our routines and experiences,” said Cook.
“Line 5 beneath the Straits helps deliver a positive impact not only in terms of providing fuel for transportation and propane for heat, but in manufacturing the resources we use every day as part of a heart-healthy lifestyle or simply to have fun.”
Even in the winter, Cook enjoys outdoor hikes, with her dog Ollie, a faithful companion.
