The China Syndrome

Getting dressed this morning, I got to thinking: everything that I'm wearing today is Chinese! My socks and underwear, my pants and even my shirt and tie! If apparel makes the man, then these clothes would surely make me a Chinese man!

As adolescents in India in the 1980s, my friends and I were enamoured when someone would show off new toy or gadget that was "imported" especially if it was Made in the USA. Little did we know that when we got to the USA, most of our possessions would be still be imported, but mostly from China, Hong-Kong or Taiwan.


I had a startling revelation today. My friend informed me that the much of our organic produce is actually being grown in China! She told me that the California Medley of frozen vegetables from Whole Foods is actually grown in China! Why don't they call it the China Medley then? I couldn't help wonder how the FDA is allowing this produce to be labelled as organic unless we have our inspectors on the ground there. If the adage: we become what we eat is true, I must be slowly be transforming into a Chinese on a cellular level too!

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, the further our food has to travel, the worse it is for the our health and the health our of living planet, Gaia: mother earth. In California, where agricultural commodities are one of the top exports, it is ironic we import so much produce from other states as well as overseas.

When we globally transport produce like garlic, grapes, blueberries, raspberries, bell peppers, navel oranges, rice, tomatoes and wine, this has a horrible impact on global warming and particulate matter pollution. Not to mention that we can't be really sure what we are getting.

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, www.nrdc.org, between 1968 and 1998, world food production increased by 84 percent and the population by 91 percent, but food trade increased 184 percent. Today, the typical American prepared meal contains, on
average, ingredients from at least five countries outside the United States!

So, the next time you go grocery shopping ( or shopping for apparel for that matter), take a moment to look at the COOL ( country of origin label) and think about the environmental and health impact of your purchase. And if you care about your cellular and ethnic identity, buy stuff Made in USA!