Trading unessential products overseas is nothing but harmfull and wastefull

I am indeed thining "what the hell"! We need trade and products from overseas. No country has all the necessary resources to prosper independently. Countries like the UK dont produce enough food or raw materials, dont manufacture things like clothes (though they undeniably could as textiles used to be big business in the UK). Those countries that do have the necessary raw materials: Brazil definately has enough minerals and crops to survive but it does not have the skills to be making some high tech products (though they do produce some such as aircraft) and to be inventing new ones like necessary new medicines. We all benefit from the trade of goods and services around the world. It has been the undisputed driving force behind progress for over a thousand years.

Edit: I guess food would count as essential so the UK would not starve!

It exports pollution from the rich world to the poor world. Rich countries claim they have cleaned themselves up but what they have really done is increase trade so allowing them to give the polluting manufacturing to developing countries.

If developed countries had to maintain their own manufacturing they would make sure it is clean!