One light bulb at a time...

My husband, Kevin, who is a United Steelworkers Union member, forwarded onto me an email about buying American-made products. For us, it hits home... so I wanted to pass this along to everyone I can, especially since I've had this experience myself at Wal-Mart recently. I do make an effort to buy American-made products as often as I possibly can, and you can save money by doing so. The packaging may not look as pretty and you probably won't see a commercial on TV. Big whoop huh.

Where I work (which is not Union), half of our department was fired in 2008 and the jobs went over to Mumbai, India. I am very fortunate to still have my job. Today's employment situation in Michigan, in my hometown, is a sad, sad story.

Here is the text of that very interesting email, capital letters and exclamation points as originally received...

"Whenever and wherever it is possible, LET'S BUY AMERICAN MADE AND GET OUR PEOPLE BACK TO WORK!

ONE LIGHT BULB AT A TIME

... Buy American Made

This works when the dollar is weak and the people are afraid for their jobs.

... Buy USA

A physics teacher in high school once told his students, “While one grasshopper on the railroad tracks wouldn't slow a train at all, a billion of them would!”

With that thought in mind, read the following, obviously written by a good American.

Check this out. I can verify this because I was in Lowe's the other day, and just for the heck of it, I was looking at the hose attachments. They were all made in China . (My swimming pool is not yet closed for the winter!!!)

The next day I was in Ace Hardware and just for the heck of it, I checked the hose attachments there. They were made in the USA.

Start looking.

In our current economic situation, every little thing we buy or do affects someone else - even their job.

My son likes Hershey's candy. I noticed, though, that it is marked made in Mexico now. I will not buy it any more.

My favorite toothpaste, Colgate, is made in Mexico now. I have switched to Crest.

You have to read the labels on everything.

This past weekend I was at Kroger. I needed 60 W light bulbs and Bounce dryer sheets.

I was in the light bulb aisle, and right next to the GE brand that I normally buy, was an off brand labeled, "Everyday Value". I picked up both types of bulbs and compared the stats - they were the same except for the price. The GE bulbs were more money than the Everyday Value brand but the thing that surprised me the most was the fact that GE was made in MEXICO !!! and the Everyday Value brand was made in - get ready for this - the USA, by a company in Cleveland, Ohio.

So throw out the myth that you cannot find products you use every day that are made right here.

So on to another aisle - Bounce Dryer Sheets... yep, you guessed it, Bounce costs more money and is made in China. The Everyday Value brand was less money and MADE IN THE USA ! I did laundry yesterday, and the dryer sheets performed just like the
Bounce Free I have been using for years... and at almost half the price!

Lay's stacked potato chips in a can is made in Mexico. Good old Pringles made in USA.

My challenge to you...
Start reading the labels when you shop for everyday things, and see what you can find that is made in the USA. The job you save may be your own or your neighbor’s.

If you accept the challenge, please pass this on to others in your address book so we can all start buying American, one light bulb at a time!

Stop buying from overseas companies!

(We should have awakened a decade ago.)

Let's get with the program. Help our fellow Americans keep their jobs and create more jobs here in the USA."