Sustainable manufacturing is a step beyond “going green.” It’s not just recycling, reducing, and reusing products, it’s the ability to completely eliminate negative environmental impacts by designing products in a skillful way and addressing environmental concerns from the manufacturing of that product, all the way to the end of the product’s life span.  And it applies to everything from objects used every day like a laptop or pen, to skyscrapers and airplane design. Sustainable manufacturing takes into account human population growth, environmental crises, ecosystems, and the depletion of natural resources along with the byproducts (some harmful) created during the manufacturing or recycling process.

It’s this type of conceptual thinking put into real life manufacturing applications that can make a significant impact on the reduction of natural resource depletion, better air and water quality, fewer landfills, less pollution, and much more.  Many companies are finding ways to produce products that last longer, are created without depleting or harming the environment, use renewable resources in the manufacturing of these products, and can then be recycled without harmful processes.  They are even considering ways to reduce shipping and therefore the energy used and pollution caused by sending products overseas by planes or boats.

While ‘going green’ in general will make an impact on whether future generations have the resources we have, sustainable manufacturing can make a global impact as well.

So I did some research. I read a bunch of articles online, I talked to my chiropractor as well as my doctor, and I even casually brought it up with some friends to get their opinions.

It turns out that while ergonomic chairs may not differ in quality so much that you should pay thousands more for one over another, there is a big difference between chairs that are ergonomic and those that aren’t.  When people have to sit for long periods of time (either at work, or on an airplane, etc). the position of sitting actually increases pressure on the shock absorbers in our spines called intervertebral discs. This not only causes back pain, but the gravity and lack of movement cause blood to pool in the legs and feet.  My doctor even told me that people taking certain medications that increase the risk of blood clots (like women on birth control pills) should get up and walk around about once an hour on long flights to prevent blood clots from forming in the legs.

Over an extended period of time, sitting in chairs that are not designed to support the back, legs, and hips can cause chronic pain.  So I guess the few extra bucks to avoid back pain is worth it.

1. Buying American-made products supports American companies and therefore keeps your neighbors, your relatives, your friends, and fellow citizens employed.  In this recession, with employment rates the highest they’ve been in decades, that’s important.

Okay, that one probably didn’t surprise you because it’s the most obvious.  Here are some others…

2.  As Americans, we believe that workers deserve to be treated with respect, earn fair wages, and go to work each day in safe work environments. Unfortunately, not every country operates under those guidelines. By buying products made in countries where children and adults alike are exploited for labor, you are encouraging those governments to continue to exploit their people.

3. Jobs that move to foreign countries are rarely, if ever, brought back to the U.S. And often, those same countries do not reciprocate by importing goods from the U.S. at the same rate, draining resources from us.
4. Because the U.S. is a leader in environment-friendly manufacturing and an advocate of a laws that limit pollution, by buying U.S.-made products, you are reducing our carbon footprint.

5. The U.S. has, in its short history, been known as one of the most innovative countries in the world. By keeping resources here, we can maintain that reputation and continue to develop products and technology that raise global standards of living.

6. In the long term, the less that USA manufactures, the more it will rely on other countries, reducing the U.S.’s ability to be independent.  Our dependence on oil is a perfect example.

7. Trade deficits result in greater debt for the U.S.  It’s impossible to have a stable economy when the U.S. carries an inordinate amount of foreign debt.

8. Many products manufactured overseas (including recent fiascos with dog food and children’s toys imported from China) do not meet American safety standards. Our standards are in place for the consumers’ protection. Buying American proves with your dollar that American companies that are forced to provide safe products, and therefore must pay more to manufacture them, are worthy of your business.

9. By purchasing from companies located in countries that don’t support democracy, or are anti-American, you are essentially helping those governments further their political strategies against the U.S.

10. By keeping American businesses in business, you are helping to maintain the living wage in the U.S. It costs more to live in the U.S. than it does in most other countries and to prevent the poverty levels from rising domestically, we must keep people employed and employed at wages they can live on.