Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

There’s been a lot of talk recently by one or more politicians about wanting more materials and goods used in America to be “made in America.” This has prompted many thoughts in my mind about what it means to be “made in America” and about all the stuff we buy that is and isn’t made in America. I know I’m as guilty as anyone when it comes to buying a cheaper foreign knockoff on Amazon for something that doesn’t (in my mind at least) warrant higher quality. I assume that’s partly why Amazon and Walmart business is so robust. They offer cheaper alternatives that are manufactured by companies that most of us can’t pronounce. Americans as a whole currently don’t seem to want to pay more just to have something that’s made here and many probably can’t afford it in our current inflation bubble. Still, if Americans want our commerce to become less dependent on other countries like China, we may all need to drink the ‘American-made’ Kool-Aid.

Luckily, we’re not starting from zero. There is one thing Americans are already effectively producing in great abundance –something genuine, Grade A, and Americanmade. I’m talking about the original “gross domestic product” (now you’ll never think of that term the same again), or roughly a pound per person per day of human $#!+. What could possibly be a truer representation of something that is not just American-made, but made by each and every proud, flag-waving American. The thought almost brings a tear to my eye (though when my kids forget to flush, or I spend time in the headworks area, admittedly, the smell sometimes does).

Joking aside, I’m quite proud to work in an industry that harnesses that American-

Bryan Mansell

made fecal power and carbon-rich resource, to produce environmentally beneficial, American-made products, such as rich compost and biogas, all while restoring safe water to rivers and lakes. So, with this thought in mind, I’m personally giving you permission to hang a flag on your bathroom door so you can see it and solute while you make your own contribution to the full-scale production of the American-made gross domestic product.

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