Economics Week 12 Voting With Your Dollar

Prompt: “Would you pay 20% more to shop at a store that sells only American-made goods?”

There are several factors at work in this decision: how well the product is made, how the product got made, who made it, and who is selling it. An ideal product in my mind is a well made, long lasting product made from sustainable materials. The ethics and values of the producers are also very important. Purchasing a product is the economic equivalent to voting. Consumers can use this power to support specific business’s, push for more eco-friendly production methods, and send their capital into the community of their choice. As a consumer I would opt to buy from a store in my community who has environment oriented production.

Choosing a producer who lives and works in my country guarantees that my money is going to be recycled back into my economy and make it stronger. It also means we can better regulate the ecological damage caused by production and create a more sustainable cycle of consumerism. If I choose to buy something from another country (even if its cheaper for me), I’m sending my assets into another countries economy. I also have less information about the environmental factors going into making the product, and could be unknowingly putting a bigger strain on the earth.

In conclusion I would opt to buy products made in my community, even if they are more expensive. I’ll have the information about how the product was made, and I know I’m using my dollar to support my community instead of another. Stronger economy, healthier environment.