I only have 1 pair of socks left without holes. As my stuff is wearing out, I am on a mission to either buy made in USA, or local or organic, companies that give back and companies that do do use slave labor. It’s pretty hard to find and time consuming as well. You go shopping and have to go on the search to find where the product is made. I also don’t want to travel 40 miles to go to the local ‘organic’ store as the one closest to me got sold and changed their merchandise.
Here is what I think- the best way you can get more American Products to be available is with your dollars. Switching to brands that are made in America, will encourage more products made in America. If you are a distributor or seller of products, make it easy for us consumers by putting up a big sign: MADE In America.
I just Gotta Eco Ya:
- Buying local supports your local economy. Means more taxpaying dollars kept in the USA
- Buying local keeps employement down, provides jobs. Cost the taxpayers in dollars to provide Unemployment benefits,subsidized housing,food stamps,medicaid,occupational and vocational retraining,educational grants and other social safety net programs that these displaced workers
- Jobs that don’t need person to person contact (accounting, IT) are vulnerable to outsourcing.
- Just because it says made in the USA on the label does not mean it is necessarily made in the USA
- The average tax rate on multinational corporations among OECD countries is about 27 percent, compared to 39 percent in the United States (No wonder we are broke)
- $19 Million Given to Whirlpool received Stimulus funds to create jobs and they are closing plants! They are being given funds to create jobs and instead offshore outsourcing them. Source
Examples:
- French Mustard is owned by British, Grey Poupon is owned by an American Company and is made in the USA.
- Taster’s Choice coffee is made by Switzerland Nestle, but you can buy American coffee from Hawaii from www.USACoffeeCompany.com.
- Soap- Locally made soap is actually quite easy to find in Farmers Markets, Craft shows and online. Or make it yourself. But if you are at the store, think about buying your soap at CVS and Walgreen (American owned companies) which house brand soap is made in the USA.
Where To Find Made in The USA Products
- American’s At Work– source for everything made in the USA- This site is dedicated to help you find American Made Products. Let’s keep our jobs home, lets pressure retailers to sell more products Made in the USA, lets ask companies to quit outsourcing support jobs overseas, and lets watch over our school systems to ensure we are turning out the next great generation.
- Still Made in USA– Launched in July 2004. The purpose of StillMadeinUSA.com is to share with other shoppers some of the great manufacturers, retailers, and craftspeople that I have found who still produce quality products in America.
- Made in USA
- Made in the USA -Listings of web sites with products sold on the Internet that are Made in America.
- Made in USA Forever– Every item is 100% guaranteed to be produced in the USA. Quality, style, and Made in the USA
- Toys Made In America
- How To Buy American
The Eco Story: Try to buy as much as possible from American and Local Companies. Support organic, Fair Trade, Give Back and non slave labor companies as much as you possibly can. Do not trust what the label says, Do your own investigative work. Use the power of your purchasing dollar to bring back business to the USA. If I have to buy products made outside the USA, buy organic and Fair Trade
Resources
Most eco friendly products are made outside of the U.S. Many people want to buy products that are made without petroleum based resins but don’t trust Chinese manufacturers. Recently a U.S. company, Fabri-Kal Corp. has introduced a line of corn based bioresin disposable cups and lids. Their Greenware line is fully biodegradable and compostable. It is designed for cold foods and liquids…nothing hotter than 105 degrees.