You're receiving this newsletter because you're a client, associate or friend of Sustainability Matters.
Having trouble reading this email? View it in your browser. Not interested anymore? Unsubscribe instantly.

Header

Feature

Made in the U.S.A

Americans losing jobs, a suffering economy, severe consequences for the United States future and the exploitation of disadvantaged countries are all serious problems that stem from the deindustrialization we face today as a country. By making choices to purchase from corporations who practice deindustrialization, we continue to give approval and add to our country's problems. 

I ask you to simply walk through your day, consciously aware of the impact and power we each have by choices we make.  Ponder these two examples of Americans today, making choices that impact our lives.

Meet Lisa Smith….

Lisa Smith started the day early,
having set her alarm clock (MADE IN JAPAN) for 6 am.

While her coffeepot (MADE IN CHINA) was brewing,
she styled her hair with a blow dryer (MADE IN HONG KONG),
applied her make-up (MADE IN FRANCE),
put on a blouse  (MADE IN SRI LANKA), 
designer jeans (MADE IN SINGAPORE) and 
new boots (MADE IN KOREA), because the ones she purchased last year fell apart.

After preparing her breakfast in her new
toaster oven (MADE IN INDIA), because her one-year old oven stopped working,
she sat down with her calculator (MADE IN MEXICO),
to see how much she could spend today.

After setting her new watch (MADE IN TAIWAN) 
to the radio (MADE IN INDIA),
she got in her car (MADE IN GERMANY),
filled it with GAS (from SAUDIA ARABIA)
to continued her search for a good paying AMERICAN JOB.

At the end of yet another discouraging and fruitless day,
checking her computer (made in MALAYSIA), 
Lisa decided to relax. 

She put on her sandals (MADE IN BRAZIL), 
poured herself a glass of wine (MADE IN FRANCE),
and turned on her TV (MADE IN INDONESIA),
and then wondered why she cannot find
a good paying job in AMERICA.


Meet Aubrey Caster….

Aubrey wakes up at 6am by the natural sunlight streaming through her windows and skylights (BOTH MADE IN THE USA) feeling well rested from a good night’s sleep on her 100% bamboo sheets ( LOCALLY MADE) covering her very comfortable, non-toxic mattress (MADE IN THE USA).

Her home is warm and cozy on this fall morning because of the bio-based, thermal barrier, phase change material she recently rolled-out in her attic (MADE IN THE USA).

She steps out of her bed onto a beautiful, recycled concrete and glass tile floor,  (MADE LOCALLY WITH RAW MATERIALS LOCALLY SOURCED) and slips into her slippers, made of 100% recycled rubber bottoms and USA grown organic cotton (MADE IN THE USA).

Aubrey walks into the bathroom to use the toilet (MADE IN THE USA), filled with recycled gray water, also used to wash her laundry and water her garden, reducing her water usage and water bill.  She showers and brushes her teeth with low flow fixtures (MADE IN THE USA).

Aubrey dresses in her 100% organic cotton blouse (MADE IN THE USA) and her pencil leg slacks, made from 80% recycled materials (FROM THE USA).  She accessorizes with a handmade scarf she bought from a local charity supporting child abuse prevention, and her 10 year old boots she recently picked up at the shoe repair, looking brand new.

She makes herself breakfast using her 10 year old gas cooktop (MADE IN THE USA) with local farm fresh eggs, butter and Pioneer Bread from a local bakery.  She packs herself a salad for lunch, lettuce and veggies picked fresh from her garden.  Included in the lunch is an apple from a case of apples bought to support a local charity and nuts and dried fruit from her local food cooperative, all in a very stylish canvas reuseable lunch bag and finishes by filling her aluminum water bottle with filtered tap water.

With her bicycle basket filled with the day's needs, Aubrey rides her bike  5 miles to work at a company that manufacturers light fixtures from 70% recycled plastic (MADE IN THE USA), locally sourced within a 100 mile radius, using LED technology (MADE IN THE USA) and loves her job and the people she works with.

After work, she joins her friends at a favorite pub, serving local craft beer and farm to table delicious food, decorated with fabulous recycled wall coverings, reclaimed wood and locally made recycled glass fixtures, discussing conscious happenings within their lives and communities.

Aubrey ends her evening at her desk checking e-mails on her computer (USA technology, assembled in the USA with some recycled plastic) and climbs into bed with a great novel she picked up at the book exchange shelf at her local gym, illumination provided by her 4 watt, 220 lumen LED light fixture (MADE IN THE USA).

Today ask yourself...

Am I making socially conscious decisions that support both my local community and country?  Am I involved in or aware of supporting the efforts of causes, organizations and businesses committed to MADE IN THE USA? 

Imagine if 300,000,000 Americans simply reallocated $1 per day spending from foreign-made goods to American-made goods, equaling  $30 per month redirected spending, not extra spending.  After just one year, this would add up to $109,500,000,000.  Imagine what the American economy could do with $109.5 billion dollars per year, simply directed by making conscious choices.   Imagine if businesses did the same, oh how bright our American future would be.  I challenge you to join Sustainability Matters and help make a difference by supporting MADE IN THE USA.

Written by Kristen L. Victor, LEED AP in the USA

Facebook Like Button   Tweet Button

Back to top

Change CAN Happen ...

 

...With Manufactuing Innovation and Growth by Supporting our own Technologies, Communities and Country

 

Written by Kristen L. Victor, LEED AP


At Sustainability Matters, we are prepared for the challenge and ready to support and deliver, just as USA manufacturers across the country are ready.  We realize this is just the beginning with our committed partners – including community, industry and state organizations, academia, private consultants and government agencies, all  dedicated to the long road ahead of us.

At Sustainability Matters our priorities and alignments are:

• Promoting Environmental Sustainability
• Supporting U.S. Manufacturing Technologies
• Accelerating U.S. Innovation and Execution
• Increasing U.S. Exporting

We continue to experience success stories with U.S. manufacturing, innovation and growth during this difficult time.  If we accept the economy for what it is, we can understand this is a time of tremendous possibilities.  The innovations and technologies being created to support our outlined priorities have been tremendous over the past several years.  It is our responsibility as Americans to support these efforts with knowledge and awareness, allowing us to make conscious decisions that will lead our country to a successful, growing, innovative culture once again.

By focusing on our client’s needs and offering access to accurate information relating to sustainable technologies and materials, Sustainability Matters continues to work diligently to strengthen our existing relationships while developing new opportunities within the U.S. manufacturing industry. 

We continue to track progress and share successes, periodically updating our project progress sharing tools used to support innovations.  As a community, we must continue to work together and support each other.  The success of US manufacturing in our country depends on us, the American people.  Reach out and help make a difference.

Back to top