The Wal-Mart You Don’t Know (hattip Melissa)
“. . . there is no question that the chain is helping accelerate the loss of American jobs to low-wage countries such as China. Wal-Mart, which in the late 1980s and early 1990s trumpeted its claim to ‘Buy American,’ has doubled its imports from China in the past five years alone, buying some $12 billion in merchandise in 2002. That’s nearly 10% of all Chinese exports to the United States.”
And this is why I will no longer shop at Wal-Mart! I admit it, I got lazy but thank you Lissa for the wake up call.
Yes I know for some of you it’s the only option you have (don’t think they didn’t have a hand in that too!) but I DO have other options and I WILL be using them and I will NOT be going into Wal-Mart again. Yes it will cost me more but I can deal with that. I’ll suck it up or go without –so be it.
Anyone care to join me?
P.S. For the record dear husband, you were right –you always are!
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Love2learn Mom 03.25.08 at 8:06 am
Good for you Michele! I’ve been favoring Target over Walmart for years and try to buy “small” when I can (I also didn’t buy anything from China for YEARS, but got lazy after awhile - it’s REALLY hard!), but weaning myself off of Sam’s Club (also owned by Walmart) will be difficult.
Ruth 03.25.08 at 8:08 am
Thank you, Michele. I’m glad you posted this.
Viv 03.25.08 at 8:09 am
Yes Michele, we avoid shopping at Walmart, most of the time. Unfortunately sometimes that is the store where we can squeeze in an errand after a doctor’s appointment or whatever and with the $ of gas I try to do my errands around appointments in town.
Between trying to not shop at Walmart, supporting local stores and businesses, buying American made products, purchasing food that is as locally made as possible,utilizing our library system, avoiding high fructose corn syrup, making our bread because it seems that is the only way to get bread with simple ingredients,recycling,growing old fashioned vegetables and livestock and being good stewards of our land (DH and I will be learning to weld this week so we can repair our new to us gravity feed trailer so we can cut farm animal feed costs) and list goes on and on!
Somehow I feel this is the challenge of our age, to value the work of others and best use the resources of the earth in light of our individual family’s situation.
And my particular challenge is to balance all these goals without being a shrew or anxious but and example, as you have been an example for instance in sewing not only useful but beautiful clothes for your family.
MicheleQ 03.25.08 at 10:46 am
I had gotten really good about not shopping at Wal-Mart and trying not to buy “Made in China” but for whatever reason I had gotten lazy. I have no excuse really. K-Mart is right next to the Wal-Mart and the mall is very close to both of them. I find some of the best deals on the Sears clearance rack and wonder why I so often forget to check there.
Alicia you are right it is HARD to not buy MiC but I do try.
Viv you are an inspiration! I have seen you at work - it’s awesome!