There are lots of reasons to buy American-made products and to nudge others into doing the same, so you may be wondering what my reasons are. To be honest, I think outsourcing jobs overseas benefits only a company’s bottom line and does quite a bit of harm along the way.
For one thing, by manufacturing products overseas and bringing them back to the United States to sell, we end up using a lot of fuel, none of it produced in sustainable or green ways. Secondly, I think the ability to buy products so cheaply encourages us to consume, consume, consume. We don’t buy well-made items for their value and keep them for long periods of time the way our grandparents did. Instead, those items are intended to be disposable and they often end up on a landfill. Then the cycle begins anew with even more STUFF.
Another reason is the deplorable working conditions found in factories in places like China. They’re similar to what spawned revolutions and the formation of unions here in the United States – namely, inhumane, cruel, barely tolerable situations for which workers are not paid living wages. As a result, instead of American-made products made by workers who have organized to demand decent working conditions and living wages, we have overseas jobs where workers toil for what amounts to pennies. And we keep it that way because it’s a a vicious cycle.
You have to admit, as a business strategy, it works, at least for now. As long as oil remains relatively inexpensive, it’s cost-effective to produce overseas and ship back to the United States to sell at low cost and in large volume. It’s much more expensive to produce in the States and manufacture items that have to sell at a higher price point to make a profit. As we’re all feeling the crunch in these less-than-ideal times, buying cheap stuff is all many of us can do. So, given a choice between two items, who is going to buy the more expensive item even if it’s better quality? It’s not even a choice for someone who can’t afford the more expensive one.
I think all of us, not just Americans, deserve living wages – and I suspect some people agree with me but do not agree with my “means”, so to speak. I just don’t believe that the current way is economically sustainable OR environmentally sustainable. Given how many people are in the world now, if everyone is going to have enough, it ultimately means consuming less. We’re not going to stop buying stuff any time soon, but if we can stop the cycle, we can buy for value.
I have to admit too that getting new stuff is fun. Talking about consuming less is a buzzkill, no?
I agree with you – our nation has lost most of its manufacturing, and look at the position we are in as a result with unemployment and the recession.
Also, it is a problem with creating more pollution and unfair working conditions. I look at the Toyota Prius, and how its environmental impact during manufacturing really undermines its green benefits, because of the batteries. (http://www.wired.com/science/planetearth/magazine/16-06/ff_heresies_09usedcars)
China is part of the manufacturing hub for the Prius, and we all know how much of a priority the environment is for China. These are the same folks who seed clouds with silver nitrate and silver iodide in order to control the weather. (http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2007/11/china-leads-wea/)
I’ve always been a fan of finding things used – even if it means repurposing things I already own. I used to be an avid thrift-store and estate sale maven, too, but frankly, you can only acquire so many “things” – even if they are cheap and used – before you run out of space and they just overwhelm you. My lifestyle and consuming viewpoint has definitely changed – I think for the better – since moving to the country, and losing my job. Now, I really consider every purchase – and I mean even things that cost $1 – with scrutiny. And I am also trying to find things that are made in the US as much as possible, and even better, local to my state and community. Michigan has obviously been doing terribly, moreso than most other states, and I saw a figure that stated if all MI residents were to allot just $10 a week toward Michigan grown/made products, it would keep $37 million in our state per week. We could really use that, and so could the growers and industries that are trying desperately to survive here. I think each state would benefit from the same sort of mentality.
You brought up some great points here – great food for thought!
I’m very much in agreement with you about carefully considering all purchases. Everything I buy I have to find a place for, and I have to consider how long it will last and whether it’s really necessary, even if it’s from a thrift store or an estate sale. I am okay with buying products, especially products made by companies I like and even better if they’re local, but now I try to buy for value and not lowest cost.
It’s very hard to find things made in the US and I can’t always afford it or even find anything, depending on what it is. I’ve found that avoiding buying things made overseas as much as I can actually reduces my consumption overall.
Local and regional businesses employ our family, friends, and neighbors. To strengthen our communities and keep dollar cascading through our economy, we need strong small businesses and entrepreneurs. It is their efforts that create most of the new jobs in America.
Imported goods are flooding the shelves of even small retailers like gift shops and galleries. American consumer purchases drive two-thirds of our economy so how we choose to spend our money really matters. Let’s make this the year of the American gift.