The continuing development of the concept of globalisation has seen an increase in the movement of manufacturing to the developing world: where both labour costs and rights are less than that elsewhere.  As a result, jobs have been lost in the developed world and the volume of goods transported (and the commensurate pollution) has increased – thus creating both economic and ecological damage.

If we were to restrict the flow of finished goods by an arbitrary geographical limit (say 500 kilometres), this would ensure that every ‘local’ market would be required to have some form of manufacturing base for every good sold.  This would have a double effect of providing jobs to the communities who will eventually purchase the goods, whilst reducing the polluting impact of transporting finished goods around the world.