What do "buy local first," a common slogan in the country, "recycling" and an expensive umbrella have in common?
When I was buying an umbrella sometime last year, the saleslady told me that Taiwan-made umbrellas were more expensive because of their quality and durability.
While I chose a cheaper umbrella then, I've since thought of what the salesperson said.
For years, "buy local first" has been viewed as an economically and politically driven slogan that would resurface once in a while as a boycott measure to counter unfair international treatment of Taiwan.
As the world is getting smaller, people are encouraged to take their role as global citizens more seriously to protect the environment and the concept of buying local products has taken on a different meaning.
As Slate magazine pointed out in its April 30 issue, food travels an average 1,500 miles (2,400km) before it's bought and eaten (slate.com/id/2164086).
In other words, imported fruits and vegetables add to the carbon-dioxide emissions that are detrimental to our health and environment.
While we strive to cut waste and save the environment by recycling, flying apples are working against this effort. For Taiwan, where agriculture development has yielded a wealth of produce, imported fruit is a luxury -- not a necessity.
The same goes for non-food items. If I were to spend a little more to buy a Taiwan-made umbrella, which is no longer the cheapest on the market but possibly one of the best, I would be saving on fuel while supporting the domestic economy.
Given a rapidly deteriorating environment, the question is not whether we should support small, divisive, individual governments, or the world, or both. A small switch in purchasing habits such as buying local products will do.
Yes, it is more expensive to buy an item that is made in Taiwan compared to one made in China. But in the long run, it means so much more. It encourages improvement of products and is less taxing on the environment.
In terms of produce, some may argue that it is easy for Taiwan not to import products because it has good, fertile land. I do believe that some places need imported food, but that is not true of all countries.
One can also argue that people had lived on much less just a century ago. We have been spoiled by science and technology beyond our own natural adaptability so that any inconvenience has become insufferable.
Being moral and responsible, as C.S. Lewis would put it, is not convenient and even less comfortable. At the age of taking a pill to numb the pain, it is perhaps wise to see what the pain is telling us.
Stephanie Lin
Taipei
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