How to Effectively Boycott Made-in-China Products

After all the pet food recalls, lead paint scandals and even human rights concerns that have been on the news lately, a lot of people are thinking twice before buying anything that says "Made in China" on it. But how do you get around buying Chinese-made products when it seems like everything's made in China?

Hold off on buying things.

Let's get the hardest suggestion out of the way first. Forget what they say on the news about "holiday spending" and "consumer confidence" -- if you aren't confident in the things that they're selling you, you don't have to act like you are. If people like you simply don't buy things, companies are going to have to respond by selling you something you like.

You can make it easier for them by letting them know how you feel. Write letters to the corporations you buy from, and ask store clerks if they know what country something was made in. If someone gets upset at you for some reason, remember that you don't have to defend your choice; after all, it's none of their business how you decide to spend your money. Just let them know what your concerns are and leave it at that.

Find Something else to buy.

"Not buying things" is easiest when it's something big and unusual, like a plasma-screen TV or an upgrade to your computer. But some things, like pet food and toys, you just can't get around buying. And after awhile, those old TVs and computers start to look ... well, old.

So try looking at alternatives. Not all brands of pet food were affected by the recall - you can find a list online at (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_pet_food_recalls#Affected_brands). And you can buy all sorts of gifts for people without getting them toys and bric-a-brac made in China. Lego blocks are made in Denmark; books are often printed in Canada or the United States. Gift cards for iTunes or local restaurants are almost always welcome. And remember that special meals or trips to go someplace fun can leave people with memories, the kind that will last longer than toys would be played with.

Buy used or refurbished.

This isn't an option for some things, and it won't save you from lead paint, either. But if you're mostly concerned by human rights violations and prison-made goods, this may be the way to go. It doesn't have to mean thrift stores, either; many stores specialize in selling clearance or overstock goods, the kind that the normal stores can't get rid of fast enough. And electronics are easy to find refurbished, which means "used but restored to near-factory conditions." Even Apple sells refurbished iPods and Macs at their online store, with their full normal warranty and at a significant discount.

If stores had to just throw these goods away, it'd be a waste of the work that went into making them. And if more people bought used, overstock or refurbished goods instead of brand-new items, then inventory would pile up and companies would have to start rethinking things. Plus, you get to save money! So it's win-win all around. Make sure to read reviews, though, and examine the merchandise carefully. A refurbished laptop PC that I bought from an online supplier came with a battery that was nearly drained.

The Upshot

With a little thought, anyone can avoid goods made in China, at least part of the way. And since you save money and keep things from piling up in your house, as well as protect your children and pets from toxins, then why not give it a shot?