How to Make a Global Impact on a Local Level:
Buying Wisely

By Bryce Cullinane

Every time I throw away half a cheeseburger or a slice of pizza, my girlfriend scolds me, "there are starving children in Africa! Why did you throw that food away?" And each time I just look at her with a blank stare that says, "I am not about to reach into that trash-can." But even though her question is a little overdramatic, the point is a good one. Wasting half a cheeseburger is not her problem, but rather, how our actions affect people we do not see or encounter.

This is the first article in a series that will address the issue of how you can make a global impact on a local level. I will not tell you to go out and single-handedly change the world, but rather, I will suggest simple ways to bring serious change. I will show you how to help make your world safer, cleaner, and increasingly free. The topic of this particular article is China and buying wisely.

Many Chinese workers are not treated well. They are made to work long days for little pay, with few incentives for advancing. I recently read an article in the New York Times that quoted a girl saying of her job, "what they called a company was really a prison."(http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B03E1D7163CF931A35753C1A9659C8B63) This seems to be a common experience. The average American income is $43,000, while the average Chinese income, in terms of dollars, is $7,800. This is unacceptable. But what does it have to do with us? The answer is simple: many of the things we buy are from China.

Just for example, I recently took a trip to the mall. I asked the managers of the Abercrombie and Fitch, Pacific Sunwear, Gap, Forever 21, Sunglass Hut, Street Talk and Clair's, each the same question: where are your products made? Each one said that a large portion of their merchandise is made in China.

There is no way to determine that the shirt you buy has been made by a poor Chinese father, child or mother, being treated horribly and paid next to nothing, but that is not the point. If we buy things that are made in China we are saying that we approve of a Chinese government that allows manufacturers to abuse their workers. If we buy clothes from China we are saying that it is ok to treat people horrible at work, pay them next to nothing and turn them back to the street. And, as long as we continue to buy clothes from China they will keep making them, and they will continue to abuse their employees.

But think about what would happen if every teenager in America made the following commitment: until workers in China are treated fairly, given decent money and not abused, I refuse to buy Chinese made clothes. The Chinese government would be forced to reckon with its actions and to pass laws to protect workers.

Though the Chinese people may seem far away to us, imagine that your father, your mother, your brother, your sister, or even you, were forced to work in a sweatshop-like environment. Days lasting from early in the morning to late at night, few breaks, and little money. This is the reality of many Chinese lives. But by being aware of what clothes you buy, you can help them.

So the next time you go into a store, ask the manager, where are your clothes made? If he answers that all the clothes are made in China, walk out. Better yet, bring friends and show the power of numbers. In addition, do further research, I have just given an example of one country's corporations that mistreats workers. I am sure that there are many more abuses going on all over the world. In summary, use the power of knowledge to make smart decisions when you buy. Whether it's plates, shirts, stereos or books, support companies and nations that who treat their employees with respect and dignity. By doing this, you use the power of money on a local level, to help bring global change.

Afternote: Some of you may be saying, "Where can I shop? It seems that all stores buy from Chinese companies?" Here is the answer: notchinamade.net. This website, with a bit of exploration, will inform you where to shop and where to avoid. In addition, you can find much more information on the subject of China and it's workers.