China Toy Problem Recalls Technology Gap

The second recall of toys made in China that are unsafe because of lead paint got me to thinking about the other health cost we pay for importing so much of our manufactured goods from China.

While labor is cheaper in China, the carbon and other emissions from the older machinery and lack of regulations puts an added cost on all of those toys and electronics that are so much cheaper to make elsewhere. According to one estimate, the energy consumption (relying mostly on old coal power plants) is more than four times that of the U.S.

Unfortunately it is almost impossible to find goods in many categories that aren't made in China, so sustainability-minded individuals have little choice. But perhaps an import tax could be used to expand our efforts to update Chinese factories and power plants. Alex Steffan of WorldChanging calls it offshoring our emissions.

"That's because globalization has tended to move heavy polluting industries offshore, away from Europe and North America, and to places like China and Brazil. We still consume the lion's share of the goods these nations manufacture, but the carbon is emitted there, not here.."

So blaming China, India et al for not being part of Kyoto when they are providing us goods that produce millions of tons of CO2 isn't fair.

Also, consider the fossil fuels burned in shipping from 5,000 miles away versus to a port in the U.S. before the are moved by rail/truck to warehouses and then driven to your local WalMart.

This system may be the most economically efficient, but not the most sustainable.