So, its been a few days now and so far, so good. But I know I am going to come up against something soon that is going to force me to buy some thing that isn't made in this country. But if nothing else, I am at least growing more acutely aware of just how much is not made in this country any more.
The other day, I was coloring on the floor with my daughter and I had to look (seems I do that a lot these days.) Her Crayons were made in Mexico, and her Crayon Markers were made in China...... but, with American Ink........ well at least there is something I guess........ but then I thought, no......... there isn't something......... Lets analyze this production chain. Somewhere, here in American, they are collecting the raw materials for ink. They mix together the water and dyes they want to use, and then ship it, to China. Once there, the seemingly amazing Chinese, wrap it in crayola looking plastic, box it up, load it on a boat or a plane, and ship it all the way back here so I can buy it at Walmart. Really. Does anyone else think this is absolutely ridiculous? All that I hear about on the news is oil prices going up, and I pay over $3.00 a gallon for the past how many months, and all the while, copious amounts of fuel are wasted shipping these things all over the world, just so my daughter can paint pretty reds and blues across the color books that were also printed in China (no clue where the ink came from there) but I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that we had to ship paper, or wood pulp over to China so they could make the paper to print our coloring books with. Seriously..... where did we go wrong.
And then, crayons from Mexico. Lets think about that one as well. I have seen how they make crayons. Your talking about a system that is so automated that other than loading machines with raw materials and quality control checks along the production line, there is very little need for a production force...... but someone some where figure out they could pay some one a 10th of what they were paying an american worker to load paper and wax into machines, so they moved production south of the boarder.
And we sit and wonder why unemployment in the country is so high. We don't even make our own crayons.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Friday, December 30, 2011
Fascinating Fabric Find
One of the first things that I knew would be a real challenge in this journey was clothing. When I was in college we had a homework assignment about world economies. The task was simple and if you have never done it yourself, its interesting. Go home, look in your closet and write down as many different countries as you can find on the labels in your clothes. I remember as a young man being amazed that nearly nothing I owned was made in this country. I think the only thing I had back then that was actually made in the USA was some underwear.
It was with this knowledge that I had to agree when my wife said, you won't be able to buy any clothes for the next twelve months. To which I replied that she and I may need to learn how to use that sewing machine a bit better so we can "make our own in America." She smiled and calmly let me know that the fabric at the fabric stores probably wasn't made in this country either. Really........
We just happened to be at a large fabric store today and I had to test her theory. As I wandered the isles I was not shocked to find that she was right. China, China, China, Korea, Taiwan, India, Pakistan, China, China...... and then, right there at the end of the isle, a tiny section that actually said Made in the USA.........as I walked away, I couldn't help but sing a little Brad Paisley....... Camouflage, Camouflage, designed by Mother Nature and by God......... and, the only fabric I could find in the whole store made in America.
So, when you see that guy proudly wearing his hunting pants in public.... at least he is supporting what appears to be one of the only remaining sources of American fabric.
It was with this knowledge that I had to agree when my wife said, you won't be able to buy any clothes for the next twelve months. To which I replied that she and I may need to learn how to use that sewing machine a bit better so we can "make our own in America." She smiled and calmly let me know that the fabric at the fabric stores probably wasn't made in this country either. Really........
We just happened to be at a large fabric store today and I had to test her theory. As I wandered the isles I was not shocked to find that she was right. China, China, China, Korea, Taiwan, India, Pakistan, China, China...... and then, right there at the end of the isle, a tiny section that actually said Made in the USA.........as I walked away, I couldn't help but sing a little Brad Paisley....... Camouflage, Camouflage, designed by Mother Nature and by God......... and, the only fabric I could find in the whole store made in America.
So, when you see that guy proudly wearing his hunting pants in public.... at least he is supporting what appears to be one of the only remaining sources of American fabric.
Welcome
Here we stand, at the dawn of a new year and its that time again, time for the ever popular New Years Resolution. I was sitting with my wife a few days ago talking about options for this year. Loose the weight, always a popular favorite, give more, work less, ahhhhh, no, silly me, I have to come up with this great idea to buy as much as possible this year from the good old USA. Maybe I have listened to too many Trump interviews about how nothing is made in this country anymore and how our government is seemingly oblivious to the fact that maybe the reason unemployment is so high is because so many jobs have been sent over seas. Or maybe I have listened to Toby Keith sing about "Made in America" a few too many times on my way to and from work. Or maybe I am just curious about what is actually still made in this country. For whatever the reason, I have decided to go down this road just to see where it leads.
Now, before anyone calls me a hypocrite, I am sure there are much better supporters of the USA product movement than I. I own a Toyota, but also a Ford. I am quite certain, like most of the rest of you, there is probably not a stitch of clothing in my closets that were actually made in this country. (Just wait till I get rolling on that soap box.) There is a Samsung TV in my living room, A Dell computer under my fingers, which may or may not have been made in this country, and a house full of decorations, nick knacks, dishes, etc. etc. etc. most of which were made in.....you guessed it..........China.
So, to be clear up front, what I hope to discover and share over the next 12 months is what options I discover through the year. I may or may not always be able to stick to my resolution, we may find our selves in need of products that simply are not made in this country anymore, and I think more than anything, that is what I want to know. Just how much of the normal, everyday american experience can be provided by those things that come right here from home.
So, if your interested, check back from time to time and see what I have learned. You may be surprised, or you may learn something that you didn't already know. I envision that I am in for a real shock as the next year of my life unfolds.
Now, before anyone calls me a hypocrite, I am sure there are much better supporters of the USA product movement than I. I own a Toyota, but also a Ford. I am quite certain, like most of the rest of you, there is probably not a stitch of clothing in my closets that were actually made in this country. (Just wait till I get rolling on that soap box.) There is a Samsung TV in my living room, A Dell computer under my fingers, which may or may not have been made in this country, and a house full of decorations, nick knacks, dishes, etc. etc. etc. most of which were made in.....you guessed it..........China.
So, to be clear up front, what I hope to discover and share over the next 12 months is what options I discover through the year. I may or may not always be able to stick to my resolution, we may find our selves in need of products that simply are not made in this country anymore, and I think more than anything, that is what I want to know. Just how much of the normal, everyday american experience can be provided by those things that come right here from home.
So, if your interested, check back from time to time and see what I have learned. You may be surprised, or you may learn something that you didn't already know. I envision that I am in for a real shock as the next year of my life unfolds.
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