products from China, etc

[Nikki+2]

I just received these emails and thought I'd pass them on. It's definitely a good time to make the effort to look for that 'made in the USA' label.


I WAS BUYING FOOD THE OTHER DAY AT THE COUNTRY MARKET.
ON THE LABEL OF SOME PRODUCTS IT SAID 'FROM CHINA'.

FOR EXAMPLE A BRAND OF THE MANDARIN ORANGES SAYS RIGHT ON THE CAN, 'FROM CHINA'.

SO FOR A FEW MORE CENTS YOU COULD BUY THE LIBERTY GOLD BRAND OR DOLE SINCE IT'S FROM CALIF.

While the Chinese, knowingly and intentionally, export inferior and even toxic products and dangerous toys and goods to be sold in American markets, the media wrings its hands and criticizes the ex-Bush Administration for perceived errors. Yet 70% of Americans believe that the trading privileges afforded to the Chinese should be suspended.

Well, duh..why do you need the government to suspend trading privileges?
SIMPLY DO IT YOURSELF, AMERICA!!
Simply look on the bottom of every product you buy, and if it says 'Made in China' or 'PRC' (and that now includes Hong Kong), simply choose another product, or none at all. You will be amazed at how dependent you are on Chinese products, and you will be equally amazed at what you can do without.
Who needs plastic eggs to celebrate Easter? If you must have eggs, use real ones and benefit some American farmer. Easter is just an example, the point is do not wait for the government to act. Just go ahead and assume control on your own.
THINK ABOUT THIS: If 200 million Americans refuse to buy just $20 each of Chinese goods, that's a billion dollar trade imbalance resolved in our favor...fast!!
The downside? Some American businesses will feel a temporary pinch from having foreign stockpiles of inventory. Wahhhhhhhhhhhh !!!
The solution? Let's give them fair warning and send our own message. Most of the people who have been reading about this matter are planning on implementing this on June 4, and continue it until July 4. That is only one month of trading losses, but it will hit the Chinese for 1/12th of the total, or 8%, of their American exports. Then they will at least have to ask themselves if the benefits of their arrogance and lawlessness were worth it.

Remember, June 4 to July 4.

EVEN BETTER. . . START NOW.
Send this to everybody you know. Let's show them that we are Americans and NOBODY can take us for granted.
If we can't live without cheap Chinese goods for one month out of our lives, WE DESERVE WHAT WE GET!
Pass it on, America

[Nikki+2]

In our current economic situation, every little thing we buy or do affects someone else and perhaps even their job. So, after reading this email, I think this lady is on the right track. Let's get behind her!!

My grandson likes Hershey's candy. It is marked made in Mexico now. I do not buy it any more. My favorite toothpaste Colgate is made in Mexico now. I have switched to Crest. You have to read the labels on everything.

This past weekend I was at Kroger. I needed 60W light bulbs and Bounce dryer sheets. I was in the light bulb aisle and right next to the GE brand I normally buy was an off brand labeled, "Everyday Value." I picked up both types of bulbs and compared the stats - they were the same except for the price. The GE bulbs were more money than the Everyday Value brand but the thing that surprised me the most was the fact that GE was made in MEXICO and the Everyday Value brand was made in - get ready for this - the USA in a company in Cleveland , Ohio .

So throw out the myth that you cannot find products you use every day that are made right here.

So on to another aisle - Bounce Dryer Sheets....yep, you guessed it, Bounce cost more money and is made in Canada . The Everyday Value brand was less money and MADE IN THE USA! I did laundry yesterday and the dryer sheets performed just like the Bounce Free I have been using for years and at almost half the price!

So my challenge to you is to start reading the labels when you shop for everyday things and see what you can find that is made in the USA - the job you save may be your own or your neighbors!

If you accept the challenge, pass this on to others in your address book so we can all start buying American, one light bulb at a time! Stop buying from China, etc. ...........

(We should have awakened to this a decade ago......)

Let's get with the program.... help our fellow Americans keep their jobs and create more jobs here in the U.S.A. !!!

[Nikki+2]

I was tempted to do a little editing but left them as they were sent to me. I have a few minor issues but the message is the same regardless.

[chattiesmom]

Thank you for this very important thread. I have copied and pasted in an email to my hubby asking him to forward it to as many people as he can. I will be sending it to EVERYONE!!!!!

What really breaks my heart is thinking about the innocent Chinese people who will probably suffer if we do not support their exports.

[Nikki+2]

I know, it is so sad how innocent people suffer for their government's bad decisions. It's definitely not just China either. Gosh Cuba is right in our back yard and look at how they have suffered because of their leadership.

I don't mean to be political so I'll zip it now.

[hartygirl]

I have to do some shopping tonight, I have a feeling it is going to take me a while to read all of the product lables! Oh well! Worth it in the long run!

I'm with you Nikki, it's made in the USA from here on out!

[chachi]

I try not to buy made in China items but its so hard. It seems like everything is made there

[emilyann]

Great thread Nikki!

Also, keep in mind people, you can support handmade and buy on Etsy. There are sooo many different sellers/shops that have different, unique items. Anything, from dinnerware, jewelry, clothing and even deoderant!

[Nikki+2]

Originally Posted by emilyann

Great thread Nikki!

Also, keep in mind people, you can support handmade and buy on Etsy. There are sooo many different sellers/shops that have different, unique items. Anything, from dinnerware, jewelry, clothing and even deoderant!

Great post! I looooove etsy!

[dlross]

I totally agree with you on that. Unfortunately, the Chinese have leant the US billion of dollars to keep the country afloat, thanks to the banks and mortgage companies who put the US in a recession. What the Chinese have ask is that US start spending more because their country factories are closed and they need to reopen and pollute the world even more. But, I’m with you on US product or Canadian only. But with North Vietnam launching those missals who know now…

[dlross]

I totally agree with you on that. Unfortunately, the Chinese have leant the US billion of dollars to keep the country afloat, thanks to the banks and mortgage companies who put the US in a recession. What the Chinese have ask is that US start spending more because their country factories are closed and they need to reopen and pollute the world even more. But, I’m with you on US product or Canadian only. But with North Vietnam launching those missals who know now…

[LunasMomma]

Great thread!

We bought some envelopes yesterday for my daughter's grad party invitations. I didn't notice until we got them home and opened them that they were made in China VERY fine print, too. I didn't let her lick them to seal, we used stickers instead, as I'm scared to death of China stuff now

[jp4m2]

I also try and avoid China made products. It's getting hard to do considering loop holes on imports. WalMart stores are known to be the biggest importer of China made goods so if your trying to avoid these products it will be difficult to do in their stores.....

When I found out that a lot of our pharmaceuticals ingredients are being outsourced to China I found that very scary. I read that about 93% of all China factories have never been inspected, the quality control is nil and cleanliness of the faculties is deplorable. This outsourcing also includes the production of OTC products.

Every time you take a medication it is now becoming a gamble if it's contaminated with some unknown toxic substance. Heparin is just one example of how the deliberate contamination can be deadly. How will you ever know if the medication even contains the correct active ingredient??.....

[Nikki+2]

Originally Posted by jp4m2

I also try and avoid China made products. It's getting hard to do considering loop holes on imports. WalMart stores are known to be the biggest importer of China made goods so if your trying to avoid these products it will be difficult to do in their stores.....

When I found out that a lot of our pharmaceuticals ingredients are being outsourced to China I found that very scary. I read that about 93% of all China factories have never been inspected, the quality control is nil and cleanliness of the faculties is deplorable. This outsourcing also includes the production of OTC products.

Every time you take a medication it is now becoming a gamble if it's contaminated with some unknown toxic substance. Heparin is just one example of how the deliberate contamination can be deadly. How will you ever know if the medication even contains the correct active ingredient??.....

I hadn't heard that. That is horrifying!

[jp4m2]

I was shocked when I read this....I think we are all under some false thinking that "someone " is looking out for our safety and welfare and that is just not so......

Bill Would Give FDA Resources for Inspections - Pharmaceutical Technology

excerpt:
“In China, the world's largest producer of active pharmaceutical ingredients, and where we have seen increasing reports of contaminated products, only 11 inspections were conducted during FY 2007,” Grassley said in his statement. “During the same year, FDA conducted 14 inspections in Switzerland, 18 in Germany, and 24 in France—all countries with advanced regulatory infrastructures,” he added.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/ma...gewanted=print

excerpt:
In some ways, this is a nonevent. European factories close; Chinese ones open. Consumers like their commodities cheap, in the case of aspirin as with everything else. China now produces about two-thirds of all aspirin and is poised to become the world’s sole global supplier in the not-too-distant future. But are the Chinese factories safe? Who knows? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Medicines Agency and other competent government regulators rarely, if ever, inspect them. (By contrast, Rhodia’s plant was last inspected by the F.D.A. in July and is routinely inspected by one country or another.) Companies that import Chinese pharmaceutical ingredients, including aspirin, are required to test the supplies before using them, and some send private inspectors to China to ensure that suppliers use adequate controls. No pharmaceutical maker wants its name to become synonymous with disaster, and the vast majority of drugs that are consumed in the United States are safe. But some industry executives told me that price sensitivity in the generics industry makes it more difficult to fully vet their low-cost suppliers.

China Pharmaceutical Trade a Prescription for Disaster - HUMAN EVENTS

excerpt:
One of China's largest pharmaceutical companies that export to the United States, Shanghai Hualian, has just been exposed to have marketed contaminated leukemia drugs that paralyzed or otherwise harmed 200 Chinese cancer patients. This is the latest in a string of tainted medicines. Manufacturers who have such little regard for the safety of their own countrymen are unlikely to care about the safety of U.S. patients

And another(April 2009)
China's pharmaceutical market has experienced significant growth in recent years, fueled by increasing wealth among its own population[1] as well as accelerating global demand for cheap, effective medicines to treat ailments ranging from high cholesterol to HIV/AIDS.[2] Along with India, China supplies more than 40 percent of the active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) used to make U.S. pharmaceuticals. The current financial crisis, and the limited resources and tighter budgets it has engendered, may accelerate the trend. Yet, China is dogged by a history of poor-quality pharmaceuticals that have killed hundreds and sickened thousands of its own citizens and people across the globe. The government has begun to tighten its laws, but enforcement remains weak, and official obfuscation is rampant. While any retaliatory protectionist measures in the United States would be counterproductive, China and its international partners would gain from improving the frequency and technical sophistication of inspections, the prosecution of perpetrators, and the culture of self-policing within China's pharmaceutical industry.

Key points in this Outlook:

*
China is a major hub for the world's pharmaceutical industry, making deadly lapses in quality a concern everywhere, including the United States.
* Chinese government inattention fosters drug counterfeiting.
* However, China's drug regulator is ramping up quality standards and enforcement.
* International partnerships in both the public and private sector are helping to improve Chinese drug quality standards.





As for food, if you want to avoid contamination then eat most foods in their natural state, avoid man made convenience foods. The more ingredients it has the riskier it is. The food manufacture can import one or many ingredients from China or where ever and still claim it was manufactured in the U.S. They don't have to tell you where the ingredients came from. Just like the dog food scare a while back...... ....Scary isn't it??