Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Patriots choose the metric system
From the RoundTable blog
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Richard W. Rusk
Rusk, of Blacksburg, is associate professor emeritus of physics at Virginia Tech.
When thinking about patriotism, one calls to mind citizens going to war to fight for freedom, bands playing "The Stars and Stripes Forever," Fourth of July picnics, etc. The Philadelphia financier who helped fund the Revolutionary War, munitions workers, et al are also patriots. In fact, all those who make our country a better place to live are patriots.
The health of the country's economy is in large part due to its exports. It was reported in the Atlantic Times in 2005 that if the United States does not change the labeling on its products for export to metric units only, it stands to lose up to $40 billion annually.
As of Jan. 1, 2010, the European Union Metric Directive goes into effect. It states that products sold in the EU be labeled only in metric units.
The current U.S. Fair Packaging and Labeling Act requires that products sold in this country be labeled in inch/pound units or both inch/pound and metric units.
Negotiations are under way to soften this impasse by amending the American labeling act. This action would allow, not mandate, metric-only-labeled products to be sold in the United States. In exchange, dual-labeled products would be allowed to be sold in the European Union.
The suggestion that U.S. companies have two sets of inventories, one for the domestic market and a separate one for the foreign markets, is much too expensive.
Now is the time for all patriotic citizens to learn to use this much better, coherent system as it impacts their daily lives. It is important that suppliers of consumer products realize that the public is ready for the change.
Starting with shopping at the local supermarket, choose articles that are in metric sizes. Soft drinks, bottled water and mouthwash are sold in ½-, 1- and 2-liter sizes. In the case of the all-American hot dogs, at least choose a brand that is dual-labeled and do not buy those quoted in pounds and ounces only.
For a greater understanding of the basics of the metric system, one can log on the Web site of the U.S. Metric Association at metric.org. A very readable, inexpensive book on the subject is "Metric for Me!" by Robert W. Shoemaker.
Throughout our country's history efforts have been made to convert to the metric system. So far all have failed due to the unwillingness of citizens to make an unbiased evaluation of the situation. Now is the time to act.
Don't be a part of the problem; be a part of the solution.
