28 January 2010 — I don’t know about you, but I like to have as much information as possible about a product before I buy it so I can make an informed decision. One information that I find difficult to find on many shopping websites is the country of origin. This is an important information but on many websites, you can assume that if the place of origin of a product is not indicated, then it probably comes from China.
I generally prefer not to buy from China unless the product is absolutely unique, high quality and not available from a different country. My main reason for avoiding Chinese products is my deep empathy for what Tibetan people and other minorities are enduring in this country. Chinese dissidents who dare to criticize the government are arrested and jailed. I also have strong reservations about this country’s environmental policies. I must
admit also that the 2007 melamine scandal still pops to my mind when I think of products made in China. But what is most scary is that you feel China like a “big brother” constantly watching. Watching its own citizen but also anyone else who dares to criticize it. As I write these words, I am suspicious that, soon after its publication, some webbot will transfer its content to a file somewhere for future use. I am using way too many sensitive keywords. To be honest, China scares me and through buying Chinese products, we make it even more powerful by giving it strong economic power.
Unfortunately, even a product labeled as made out of China may contain some Chinese component. This is particularly worrisome in the food product area. In an article published in the Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail in July 2007, we learned that as long as 51% of the production cost of an item is made in Canada, the label can say “Made in Canada”. Apple juice concentrate is the second most important food item imported from China after fish and it is so inexpensive that sometimes just the cost of the packaging exceeds the 51% threshold. If my food comes from China, I would certainly like to know about it. Sticking to fresh non-processed organic food is a good way to protect yourself.
Chantal Plamondon,Co-Owner
LifeWithoutPlastic.com