By Charlotte Lowrie

As an American, I'm very concerned about the high rate of unemployment in the United States. While the elected officials in Washington D.C. try to find solutions, I wondered what I could do to help put Americans back to work. I decided that one action I can take is to buy American-made products whenever I can.

As I researched 100% American-made products on the Web, I was surprised and concerned by the small number of products in this category. But still, I'm committed to buying American-made products whenever and wherever I can. The more we buy, the more the companies will grow, and the more jobs there will be for our family members, friends, and neighbors. It's a simple premise for a very complex problem, but I believe that this is something that I can do to help our economy begin to grow again.

If you want to join me in this effort, you can go to the Americans Working Web site for an index of American-made products.

As I buy from these companies, I'll try to update this article with recommendations on products and services.

For now, I'm intrigued by a 100% American-made camera mount. You can check out Bush Hawk camera mount systems on their Web site.

And for my long-sleeve winter T-shirts, I'm going to buy from SOS from Texas.

These are the first two companies that caught my eye. I'll post more in coming weeks.

I hope that you'll join me in supporting American workers and companies by buying from them. I believe that a strong grassroots effort can make a big difference.

Also be sure to check out my book, the Canon EOS 7D Digital Field Guide that is 100% Made in the U.S.A.