Buy Local
Big box stores might be convenient and cheap, but they are not unique. And in the long run we pay the price for shopping at chain stores, whether that means a higher carbon footprint, products manufactured in far away places without labor standards and the undoing of local businesses that cannot compete.
Local businesses reflect their local culture, have much more flavor and charm and give our neighborhoods character. Unique, one of kind businesses provide a true sense of place and make our cities interesting.
Portland has become a national leader in the movement to buy local, in 2004 the city’s mayor declared November 25th as buy local day, to encourage consumers in the shopping season to Buy local first. The Portland “Think Local, Buy Local” campaign has a Top 10 list of why to Buy Local; the following are a few of the most striking.
First off, several studies have shown that when you buy from an independent, locally owned business, significantly more of your money is used to make purchases from other local businesses, service providers and farms – continuing to strengthen the economic base of the community.
Furthermore locally owned businesses are the largest employer here and have owners and employees who live in the community. That means employees are less likely to leave, and are more invested in the community’s future. Local businesses usually sell something they care about and love while national chains tend to focus on providing cheap prices and a national sales plan regardless of local needs.
Also non-profit organizations receive an average 250% more support from smaller locally owned businesses than they do from large national businesses.
If those reasons were not enough, shopping locally reduces the environmental impact of our purchases. Locally owned businesses support each other and make more local purchases requiring less transportation. They generally set up shop in town or city centers as opposed to developing on the fringe. This generally means contributing less to sprawl, congestion, habitat loss and pollution. They are often the place that specializes in a unique green product or service that national chain stores are not interested in pushing, or can’t offer cheaply enough.
If you need more reasons to buy local, check out Portland’s www.thinklocalportland.org. Because local businesses are so essential to the economy and make our cities livable many are following Portland with their own campaigns. But you don’t have to wait for your city’s mayor- just think local first.
It is not always possible to buy everything you need from locally owned businesses, but if everyone purchased one more item locally when they shopped, the effects would be tremendous. Local businesses are integral to growing a socially, environmentally and economically sustainable region.
