Start of new school year is coming

Line 5 plays an important role

Aug. 9, 2023

You can almost hear the school bell ringing.

Some are dreading it, others eagerly embracing it, though one can’t ignore it’s that time of year again.

Between end-of-summer family vacations and neighborhood cookouts, students, parents and educators are preparing to start the 2023-24 school year.

Often unknowingly, they have a critical ally in Enbridge Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac.

“The first undertaking on many to-do lists this time of year often is back-to-school shopping,” said Paul Meneghini, Enbridge’s Michigan-focused community engagement manager.

“We might not be beside Michiganders while they are shopping, though the light crude oil and natural gas liquids Enbridge transports safely each day is critical to manufacturing the items they will buy, as well as the transportation fuel that gets them on the road.”

6,000+ products come from the energy transported by Line 5

Meneghini cites that items Line 5 helps make possible run the gamut—classroom supplies, clothing, health and beauty products, even toothpaste and anti-perspirants.

From iPads to laptops to calculators to the longstanding basics of pencils, marker and crayons, product from Line 5 helps make them reality for students of all ages. Line 5 also contributes to the manufacture of backpacks, shoes, jackets and other clothing essentials, as well as eye glasses and contacts.

 

“Local schools and communities rely on Enbridge’s Line 5 to operate safely to meet their everyday needs.”

—Paul Meneghini, Enbridge manager of community engagement in Michigan

“Local schools and communities rely on Enbridge Line 5 to operate safely to meet their everyday needs,” said Meneghini, a 1993 MTU grad in civil engineering. “This is important throughout the year, though often has increased focus every school year.”

Adds Meneghini: “The school year also brings opportunity to encourage others to embrace Enbridge’s commitment to safety. Children and school buses will be prominent on the roadways, so it is incumbent upon each of us to exercise extra caution as the hustle and bustle of a new school year gets underway.”