From pencils to cooking utensils, clothes to shoes and almost everything we use in our everyday lives have been imported from different places around the world.

America is the world’s richest country and largest importer.  In 2008 alone the US bought $2.104 trillion worth of imported products.

San Diego Mesa College has also been involved in the importing business and the bookstore is a great example. Many of our everyday school materials have been brought from somewhere else.

The Mesa College Bookstore employee Esperanza Ricketts handles most of the imports, which includes everything from clothing to pencils and staplers that the bookstore sells.

Alongside the bookstore supervisor Carol Rohe, their main focus is recycled products. Rohe is part of the Environmental Committee at Mesa and knows that recycled products are good for the environment.

“It’s the right thing to do,” says Rohe.

For quite some time now recycled products have become popular. In most stores, recycled paper is actually cheaper than regular paper.

Some people are inclined toward recycled products because it helps preserve the economy. Others should buy it because it simply costs less than regular items.

If students bought more products made in America available in the bookstore then it would not only help the economy, but the school as well. The Mesa College Bookstore is a self-supporting store, which means that the money that is earned by selling these products pays the bookstore employees. That, in turn will help the economy because employees will have money to contribute back to the economy.

According to ABC News, college students on average are estimated to spend $46 billion on back to school supplies, of which if all were spent on American made goods it would result in half a million new jobs. PooPoo Paper, Sugar Cane, Roaring Springs, Top Flight, Samsil, House of Doolittle, and Polypro, are just a few of the many school essential products made in America.

Mesa College alumni Christopher Rubio, buys recycled products in and out of school.

“Students should aim towards buying recycled things,” said Rubio, “because a lot of them don’t realize how important it actually is and the benefits it brings to the environment. Yes, perhaps it’s more expensive, but the reward will be worth much more.”

Mesa student Nancy Gubany buys and uses recycled products because of economic values.

“It is important to protect the environment,” says Gubany, “I know all about the trash problem, and it sucks.”
Students are encouraged to buy American produced recycled products, which in the long run will benefit the school, the environment and the country.