Until recently.
The recalls on dangerous products made in China have been
mounting over the last several years. Our
economy is still in the gutter. People
are still losing jobs and homes. Crime
is on the rise as more people become desperate.
A comeback will rely, in part, on
putting Americans back to work. Decreasing our imports and increasing our exports would be a great start. But major retailers here need to get the message first: We want to buy American. I think
many people are like me: they think
buying American is a great idea, but don’t have the time to stop and think
about something else in their hectic lives.
But I have resolved to do my part by buying more American goods.
I was shoe shopping recently. Here is what I found: Made in
China, Made in China, Made in China, Made in China, Made in China, Made in
China, OH! Made in Italy!, Made in China, Made in China, Made in China, Made in
China, Aha! Made in India!, Made in
China . . . you get the picture. Not
one pair made in the U.S.A. Now, shoes
made in America are a bit harder to find than some other products. But walk into any big store and look for most
any product. Wal-Mart, Tuesday Morning,
or any other, and just walk around and take inventory. What you will find may shock you. It shocked me.
I recently did this when shopping for toys, clothing, bed
linens, towels, picture frames, scrapbooking supplies, gift items, greeting
cards, and a few other things. Almost
everything I picked up was made in China.
There were a few things made in India, Pakistan, or Thailand. There were a very few made right here in the
red, white, and blue. We are literally pouring our hard-earned paychecks into
other countries (mainly the communist People’s Republic of China).
Please understand that I am not anti-China, nor am I saying
we should not buy any products made outside the U.S.A. That would be pretty much impossible, or very
difficult. Check out one man’s mission
to use only American products for 30 days here:
http://www.usa30days.com/
I just think, in this instance, that we should take care of our own before we
take care of others. I understand that
products from China are much less expensive, but nine times out of ten, the
quality is also inferior.
Trying to go “cold turkey” on American-made items is
overwhelming, though. Pick one or two
suggestions from the list below to ease yourself into the habit.
1.
When
shopping online, add “Made in USA” to your search terms.
2.
Pick one or two categories. For example, tell yourself you will only buy
toys or clothes made in the U.S.A.
3.
If you have time while shopping, start checking
products before you place them in your basket.
Make an effort to put more “Made in the U.S.A.” items in your basket
than items made in any other country. You
might pay a little more, but it’s worth it.
4.
Buy from local artisans. Even if they use some materials from another
country, the labor is still local!
5.
Buy from neighbors with home-based businesses (like
Premier Designs Jewelry, Thirty-One Gifts, Partylite, etc.), even if some of
their products are made in China . . . you are still helping an American
company, and helping your neighbor who is working hard at her home-based
business.
That’s a start, and you are helping a fellow American keep
his or her job for another day.
Americans will
work hard. We just need the freedom to
do so.
Need a few resources to help you get started?
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