Made in China

This article presents a great example that sheds light on just how globalized our nation and world really are at this point. It details the attempt of one American family, the Bongiorini's, as they tried living an entire year without buying anything from China. The idea was started after the mother, Sara, wondered if doing so was even possible and decided to try. As could be expected, this turned into a full time task, but what she wasn't ready for was the amount of time and energy she would devote to locating foods weren't grown or containing ingredients grown in China. One reason this was so difficult was because of the lack a of solid food monitoring program for keeping track of where the ingredients used in many foods are actually from. Another reason was because of the incredible amounts of food we're now importing from China; over $4 billion worth annually (up from just $800 million 12 years ago).

I think it is amazing that our society has reached the point where it has become a time consuming task just to determine where the food we eat and things we buy actually come from, and really exemplifies for us just how engrained our entire world has become in globalization. Such massive international trade would never have been possible just a few short decades ago. Also, this family's attempt is an example representative of a growing awareness in this country by citizens who want to move more toward locally grown and produced goods. A final topic to think about is just much of our food and goods are from China, especiialy when one considers how just a few decades ago, China's export business was nowhere near it's current levels. Their ability to enter into and soon become such an integral part of a global economy is a truly amazing achievement that speaks volumes for their amazingly quick development over the past 30 years.