I have spent the last few weeks trying to live as close to home as I can. As I have put back pair after pair of shoes bearing the "Made in China" label, I have become increasingly frustrated. Why is all of our stuff made somewhere else? Why should I have to import my bra from Indonesia or China or Thailand?
The fact is, its cheaper. That's it. I can go to Target and buy a baby outfit made in China for one of my many new "nephews" for $7.99. But if I want an outfit made in the U.S.A., well Good Luck. I did find some Made in the U.S.A. baby clothes made of organic cotton which retail for $24.99. For the occasional gift, that's not a problem. But could I really outfit my own child in Made in the U.S.A. organic clothes without breaking the bank? I don't know.
But I guess the question comes down to the real cost of things. So I buy an outfit from China today and save $15.00. But what is the long term cost of that decision on my country's economy, the well-being of the workers in China (who are clearly being paid much less than a similar worker in the U.S. would be paid) and the effect on the environment from all that transportation? And perhaps this is part of my mission this year -- to look at the costs in a bigger, more global manner. Because in the end, saving $15 dollars today so I can take a trip to Alaska won't matter much if the glaciers are gone by the time I get there.
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I have also found it difficult to find things not "made in China", and wonder what will happen if China decides to get paid for their bonds that hold America's debt in Euro's. Maybe I should buy "made in China" to protect my money invested in "dollars". It is frightening that we are dependent on a Communist country to keep the USA afloat. Thank you George W. Bush!
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