Discussions
Shopping local benefits communities
Posted by timethief • 1 year ago • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS]
Topics: healthy communities, shopping local
(1) Shopping locally keeps money in your local economy - dollars spent in locally-owned business have up to three times the impact on the community as those spent at corporate chains. There is a strong multiplier effect within the community for every dollar spent locally, whether it is for retail goods or services. Every dollar that a community member spends outside the community diminishes the economic health of the community.
(2) With increasing job-loss and a shrinking labor market, supporting local businesses by shopping locally helps fund and maintain jobs in the area preventing outsourcing and the outflow of economic wealth. Additionally, locally owned businesses may often be motivated to give workers better wages and benefits.
(3) Independent area businesses pay more local and state/provincial/regional taxes than do mega-corporations, keeping the tax flow community-based. By contrast, chains can actually drain tax revenue from communities when governments hand out millions in subsidies to national businesses, nominally in the interest of "job-creation."
(4) Local owners are typically more invested in thoughtful, livable urban planning for their communities, and their stores often require less physical space than corporate chains in suburban shopping centers. By creating cohesive city and town centers, pollution, automobile-dependency and urban sprawl can all be reduced.
(5) Local ownership means that important decisions are made locally by people who live in the community and who will feel the impacts of those decisions. Local businesses help build strong communities and neighborhoods, linking citizens and nurturing local causes. When businesses are owned by members of the community, the owners have obvious reasons for more strongly and insightfully considering the impacts of important decisions about growth and local politics.
(6) Shopping at local stores makes them a destination for socializing. People go to Starbucks because they know Starbucks, recognize its logo and associate it with above-average coffee. But when they see drinks from any of the myriad local java-purveyors and hear their praises sung by fellow caffeine-dependents, it can open minds to new possibilities.
(7) Shopping locally gives us options. When thousands of disparate small companies compete with one another, innovation and low-prices abound. Giant multinational companies thwart this model by limiting product options and competitive pricing, as well as rendering their niche tediously uniform.
(8) While chains often proffer mind-numbingly detached service, local businesses can offer a more refined expertise and base of knowledge about their product, especially if it is also locally-made. Local groceries specialize in knowing how and where their foods were made and how to cook and eat them - knowledge that benefits the consumer.
(9) A healthy retail sector is attractive to new businesses. Without it, communities do not stand much of a chance of attracting new businesses that increase the variety of products and services available for purchase.
(10) Many chain supermarkets have appalling ethics, particularly in their relationships with third-world farmers. Purchasing from local farmers keep them in business and places ethically grown fresh food on our tables.
(11) Shopping locally keeps non-chain shops flourishing, thereby increasing the diversity of our communities. It helps them retain their uniqueness and authenticity and encourages local innovation and creativity. (Who wants to live in clone towns?)
(12) Thriving local shops reduce fuel requirements and eliminate the monopoly and high pricing of supermarkets. The less distance consumer products have traveled the greater the benefits are to the environment due to the reduction and/or elimination of storage and transportation costs. In the case of food the less distance traveled from farm to plate, the fresher it is and the greater the benefits are to the environment.
Discussion questions:
(1) Do you shop locally?
(2) If so, then would you like to add to this list of benefits that result from shopping locally?
References: As this is already a long post I have not listed references here. When I publish my blog post I will link to all of the references I used.
User Comments
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Wow! A lot of time spent just to say it's great to shop locally.-
Thanks for the err ... compliment?
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TT...yes, shopping locally is a great idea...I was being a bit flippant...seeing as how our BC "relationship" has been so amicable (sarcasm)...but I retract the flippancy and say, "carry on, good job."
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Thanks
Please don't hesitate to create new points. I'd really appreciate any contributions that other BC members make to this list as I'd like it to be as comprehensive as possible.
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You get to know the shopkeepers! There's a fantastic greengrocers shop close to where I live run by a Greek family who are friendly and love to chat and show off their produce. When the weather is good they sit outside on the street and gossip, they know what your favourite foods are and will advise you how to cook stuff you are unfamiliar with. Shopping there is fun. Would you get that level of service and entertainment at a chain supermarket?-
@truebird
You have described exactly what it's like in the small community I live in. See number (6)
We also have a thriving Farmers' Market. The Farmers' Market has become a major event right through the summer, attracting both locals and visitors to the island. Dozens of local farmers sell fresh produce and many local artists, craftspeople and artisans display their work for sale. If you want to buy local produce or crafts, you won't have to go far to find what you are looking for on Saturday morning.
I work at our local Farmers' Market every Saturday and I really enjoy the opportunity to socialize with friends and to buy high quality, locally grown organic produce and herbs.
If you're interested to see what's available at our local Farmers' Market from May to October and compare it to your own community I have included a list in my earlier blog post here thistimethisspace.com/2008/07/13/farmers-market/
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What a comprehensive list! It's hard for me to think of more benefits to add because you have done an outstanding job on this already. I believe strongly in supporting local, smaller businesses. I saw my own small town's Main Street, taken down by Wal-Mart and K-Mart. Another benefit, I have found with grocery shopping, is that if local products often taste better (and are often less expensive). When you are growing/producing food for your neightbors, you take a measure of care that super huge chains don't bother with.-
@mtyler
Thanks for the compliment. I owe it all to research ... lol
We gulf islanders foresaw what would happen to Vancouver Island communities when the big box chain stores flexed their muscles. Consequently, we legislated specifically against rezoning land for big box stores. As we are all a part of a unique land trust with politicians, who are elected to uphold the provincial statutory mandate of "preserving and protecting the natural amenities (ie. the environment) and the rural character of the existing communities" we passed bylaws that sent the multinationals and mega bucks corporations packing off to other locations. They tried to woo us, of course, and we thumbed our noses at them.
Gulf islanders are politically astute and environmentally focused. We have access to organically produced meats, vegetables and fruits and we are determined to insure that our supply is protected. -
@Timethief,
That's wonderful that you were able to do that. I live in San Francisco half the time (my adopted home of 30 years) and although the city *does* have chain stores, they have no Wal-Mart or K-Mart's within the city's limits. San Francisco, in its own way, does try to promote local industry. It's pretty hard to do that in a city, but I appreciate their efforts. Just one more reason why I love that city so much.
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Timethief, I agree with you in principle and prefer to shop local merchants myself, but I think that it is too much to ask of a large sector of society who is juggling carefully in order to keep the bills paid. Just a couple of specific examples:
A wheel of Mexican Farmer cheese is $4.29 at WalMart, and $8.99 at my local grocery store. A can of Campbell's Chunky Soup is $1.50 at WalMart and $2.89 at my local grocery store. The list goes on in the same vein. And while it's clear that getting sucked in by that contributes to the very market forces that make it possible for WalMart and others like it to undercut local stores so dramatically, many communities in which those local stores are suffering and going under are populated to a great degree by people for whom that price difference makes the difference in whether or not it's possible to buy food AND have car insurance or something similar.-
I think our eating habits ie. a reliance on prepared food products and fast foods is a big factor when it comes to expense. I also think that if people actually knew how to cook real foods ahead and how to preserve that they would find that their food budgets would be reduced.
The first step is to boycott any processed "food stuffs" and buy only whole foods. The second step is to learn how to prepare and preserve it. For example I never eat soup from a can. The soups I make are really nutritious as the vegetables and herbs in them are organically grown. I make soups and stews in large batches which I freeze in small containers. They can be microwaved and ready to eat in seconds.
During the harvest season and winter months we have a "real foods" group who get together in a large commercial community kitchen and share all the gleaned produce we can beg or barter for. We also have a small group of thrifty shoppers who buy in bulk (we all throw in money) and then we get together do all the food prep and preservation and divy up the end results which are pre-packaged main courses for the week. We also make jams, jellies, mustards and other condiments in bulk too.
Our group became so popular with young couples, single parents and elders that we had to close it to those who began to come over from the big island. Instead we send our elders across the water to set up programs for the young couples, single parents and elders, over there. -
Is your local grocer a chain store though? Or is an actual local grocer?
I see your point, on the same note t hough, I find that local business men and women are also more likely to barter and bargain - whereas you have no choice in the chain stores (all of which are about the same price here, even Walmart is expensive). -
Timethief, again what you describe sounds great in a perfect world. Come up to my area and teach all the single mothers working two jobs and living in apartments with tiny refrigerator/freezers to spend hours cooking soup between the time they get home at 11:30 P.M. and the time they have to leave for work again at 8:00 a.m. Find places they can buy those whole foods on a budget on Sunday afternoon or at midnight, since that's when they're free to shop, and a place to store them, since they certainly don't have time to run out and buy fresh produce every few days.
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@Anok
We have no chain stores on our small island. The supermarket here is privately owned by a family that were born and raised here. They got their expertise in the grocery field by moving off island and working in grocery chain stores for several years and when they came back they founded their own store. They purchase good from local farmers, fishers and orchardists. They also stock the imported goods that one would find in any chain grocery store. -
Ugh, I wish TT. We DO have several farmers market's though. And one very small chain grocer that is about 75% cheaper than the chain stores - but they don't' carry everything, unfortunately.
Oh, my response was to Tiffany though, we posted at the same time! -
OOPS! I forgot to say that when the food group meets to prepare the meals for the upcoming week or two weeks, etc. the older kids are all there helping. The teens from the youth group and the 4 H group also organize games and activities to keep the younger kids busy while their parents are working in the gardens, orchards and kitchens. This child-minding costs nothing. Most single parents tend to car pool to get to the commercial community kitchen and back home again. We also deliver food to those who are sick and unable to cook themselves. Lastly, every Tuesday we have a community financed and administered emergency free food program for those who are needy. It's like a food bank and it's run by a local non-profit society.
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That sounds wonderful TT.
Hey listen, I wonder if you could e mail me some of the details about how all of that works and is organized? I'd like to see if I could start something here. -
@Tiffany
I'm not ignoring you I'm gust having difficulty keeping up due to the eyesight problem and the concussion. I recognize that there are many barriers to establishing the kind of food groups that we have here in other places. My friend organized the same kind of cooperative food program I have described in Vancouver in an apartment building where most renters were single parents like him and some were elders (mostly single elders). It's been operating now for 8 years.
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Yes yes yes!
Yes!-
@Anok
I know you are trying to by a home in America but the more I get to know you the more I recognize that you and your family would be a perfect fit for the gulf island lifestyle. lol ...
Many of us are anarchists too. We tend to be the ones who teach others how to organize at the grassroots level to cooperatively deliver services that are usually the purview of governments in larger places.
Here we have the least government services and infrastructure of all other locations. We pay the lowest local taxes there are and we vote against taxing ourselves to create more government services and infrastructure.
Small can be very beautiful. -
We have thought about it, TT but it isn't feasible at this time.
It's a goal, though
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One comment - shopping from a local farmer's market is even better than from a local business from an environmental perspective.-
True, however, if you look a little deeper then maybe farmers are local businessmen too.
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Well they probably are but I'm sure you know what I mean. Where I come from the farmers markets are supplied by old order mennonites. No mistaking them for other business owners.
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Ahhh ... yes I see what you mean.
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When speaking of Shopping locally, don't forget art, clothes, furniture, gifts etc!!!
As for Walmart, though they are a huge chain and a large percentage of the profits go else where, the manager is local, the clerks and stockboys and 99% of the rest of the employees are local and need the jobs to feed their families too. They also support local charities and organizations like the women's shelter and minor league baseball teams and children's charities so don't count them out completely.-
That's a great point. Thanks for submitting it. In my community our local businesses are major contributors to all charitable events and local causes. For example: here we did fundraising events to buy two of our own sets of jaws of life, as well as, two defibrillators. All of our sports teams, charities and community service organizations receive contributions from local businesses too.
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I do like to shop locally whenever possible.
I especially like it because with some small business owners it's easier to actually get to know whoever is running the shop and actually form a relationship with them. Tends to work out to much better/friendlier customers service and makes shopping much nicer. It's easier to give input too, and suggestions can be much more easily implemented by a small business owner (Eg. I really wish I could but this certain product here). It provides the business owner an opportunity to provide what the customer wants, and the customer to have that available.-
I find that customer service in the locally owned shops is outstanding. When I go to the city I'm appalled to see sales clerks chatting with their friends on cell phones rather than waiting on me. When I finally get their attention some don't even have a clue what their store stocks or when the new orders come in. Asking to speak to the department manager doesn't always produce good results. Some of them seem to just be marking time until they pension off.
However, I have asked for several products to be brought into our local stores and management did that for me cheerfully. They made it clear that if there was a demand for the products they would continue to stock them so I contacted my friends, the word spread and the demand grew.
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Even though some prices are higher in town, the cost to buy in town sometimes turns out cheaper when considering the cost to drive out to wal mart or where ever. Our village does not have chain stores/shops, although we do have one subway.-
A subway! I live on a rock with very little topsoil that's surrounded by the ocean so I can't imagine a subway here. We don't have a large enough population to finance a public transit system of any kind and that's what we need most of all. Ironically, we are taxed to finance the public transit systems on Vancouver Island and on the BC mainland even though the schedules are such that they don't even come close to meshing with our ferry sailings.
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No LOL! I meant a subway sandwhich shop. We don't have any public transport. How the subway managed to get into the village is a surprise considering the hatred locals have for any kind of chain.
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I shop locally as often as I can and avoid big box stores 99% of the time.-
Good for you!
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cool as tt
will come back after work-
Have a great working day and catch up with us later.
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Marrakech is just getting into the cult of the super market, they are Im afraid believing that the new super stores that have opened here are amazing and worthy of a whole saturday afternoons attention.I truely believe that these supermarkets are full of crap they cann't sell in Europe.
For most of us expats we love to go to the markets and buy the local fresh produce. The thing I love the most is that you can only buy food that is in season here, in London even though you have an amazing array of fruits and vegtables in the big supermarkets, how healthy can it be if its been air freighted in from all over the world? -
"...in London even though you have an amazing array of fruits and vegtables in the big supermarkets, how healthy can it be if its been air freighted in from all over the world?"
It's not healthy. Airplane fuel is toxic and the fall out into the soils and aquifers ought to be considered and immediately reduced while substitute fuels are developed. Setting that aside, aside from farmers being compelled to produce tasteless produce that fits into specific sizes of boxes and that can be stored for ages without ripening and rotting, (CO2 injection) I'm sure pretty sure that if the people eating bananas were actually aware of the herbicides and pesticides they are ingesting they would be shocked. And, that's just one example. -
We're just getting some big box stores, walmart is only 6 months old here. It really depends on the town and what the town caters to and what is already existing. There is almost no retail or restaurants here of any sort and its a tourist town. Both residents and tourists are thankful to finally have a few places coming in, as long as it doesn't get stupid. We've always had a McDonalds and a Shoppers Drug Mart, but thats about it, now we have a Dollarama, Walmart, Subway, EB Games, Sears and Boston Pizza. Kentucky Fried Chicken, Swiss Chalet and Taco Bell are on their way.
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"There is almost no retail or restaurants here of any sort and its a tourist town. "
That's really sad. As we are a unique place with limited "home occupational" use of residential land, we have an abundance of small businesses operating out of homes scattered throughout various locations. Some are on 1/2 acre lots and others are on much larger acreages. Some well to do local people where I live also provided start-up loans that got the ball rolling for other businesses in small commercial zonings too. Then other business people came here first on vacation and later they moved here permanently establishing new businesses.
It would be great if affordable pay back start-up loans were available to local folks who wanted to open retail outlets and restaurants where you live. I'm sorry this isn't the case. -
@witchwoman
I forgot to say that not a single store that you listed exists where I live - thank goodness. Of course they all do exist on the big island so those who feel the need to shop there can go there if they so choose.
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We shop locally, but I think you've got a pretty comprehensive list there--I have nothing to add (right now, anyway.)
We swore never to shop at Wal*Mart again last Oct. & have never been back. It's a great feeling.-
Hi there. I have the same great feeling.
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I am fortunate to have an excellent butcher. He sources meat locally and can tell me exactly where the livestock was reared. I care about the welfare of the animals I eat. I think this is an excellent reason to shop for your meat locally.-
Excellent points, Polybore. I prefer to stay away from the factory farmed meats.
Hunting also helps in this area -
I agree too, there is nothing more tasteless than a plastic wrapped piece of supermarket meat. -
@Anok
Indeed.
Actually due to temporary financial constraints polybore has broken out his rifle and has been sourcing his meat very, very locally. Polybore must eat flesh.
I've not been doing much hunting in recent years, however, the prospect of no meat for a couple of days has proved to be a great motivator. -
In the words of Withnail "I want somethings flesh!!!!"
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Nothing wrong with that, Polybore.
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I'm not sure Anok. I find if I go to a shop while hungry I buy much more food. Well it seems it is the same if I go hunting while hungry. I'm going to need a bigger deep freeze.
Well spotted aningeniousname, one of my fav films that one. -
Oh, ouch LOL. Just remember one good sized animal will last quite a while!
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We also have access to meat from organically kept animals (beef, pork, mutton, lamb, chicken, duck, turkey, pheasant, etc.) . We choose to eat meat every second day or so. We also have access to fish.
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I definitely think there is a big difference in humane and wild meat to "Auschwitz" meat.
I don't know if its something to do with stress levels in the animal post mortem or it's a mental thing on my part.
But If I had to guess I would definitely think it was something to do with quality of life in the animal.-
Feed lot animals are injected with hormones. This causes them a weight increase, and, of course, they are sold by the pound. The last thing I want to ingest is hormones and/or antibiotics so I do not eat meat unless I know where it came from, how the animal was kept, what it was fed, how it was slaughtered and who did the butchering.
According to Science News, 80 percent of all U.S. feedlot cattle are injected with hormones. The most common hormone in current use is estradiol, a potent cancer-causing and gene-damaging estrogen. The FDA maintains that residues of estradiol and other hormones in meat are within "normal" levels, and has waived any requirements for monitoring and chemical testing. These hormones are linked ever more closely to the escalating incidence of reproductive cancers in the U.S. since 1950-55% for breast cancer, 120% for testicular cancer and 190% for prostate cancer.
Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), for example, increases milk production in cows. Canada has not approved its use and many scientists are worried that the hormone-laced milk is a potential health risk. But dairy farmers swear by rBGH. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) deem milk from hormone-treated cows safe.
www.sustainabletable.org/issues/hormones/ -
I used to have a job building cold stores and we once built a cold store in an abattoir and you would be shocked the way animals are treated in these places.
I haven't eaten mass produced meat since, to put this in context I'm not some animal rights nutter, who believes animals are people, though I do believe every animal deserves respect.
This place was like an H Bosch painting, it really was horrific and I'd urge everyone to go see what is actually done in the name of cheap meat and happy meals. -
The type of feed and the amount of exercise makes a big difference to the texture and taste of the meat. The amount of time the meat is hung makes a huge improvement as well. Supermarkets don't tend to hang the meat for long as it goes a bit brown and they think their customers will not buy it.
You are right that if the animal is stressed at slaughter the meat will be effected, especially if they have been badly transported, build up of lactic acid etc. -
I know exactly what you are both talking about. I believe that if every school child and their parents were taken on field trip to view the holding pens of an abattoir and a slaughtering we wouldn't have as many obese people in our societies. These days most people are completely removed from the production end of agriculture. Out of sight - out of mind.
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Anin, I feel the same way. Most people have no clue what goes into "making" the meat they buy at the grocery store.
To most people, meat comes neatly wrapped in plastic, on Styrofoam trays. If they ever saw the conditions at a factory farm.... -
I think a lot of people would feel this way if they actually knew what was going on, it's like they would feel the same way if they saw how their tax dollars exploded on the streets of the empire.
The whole point of the system is that you don't know and don't care, that's how it works. -
Society is so urbanised now people have been disconnected from where their food comes from.
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"Society is so urbanised now people have been disconnected from where their food comes from."
I agree. I would go further and say that many do not know what "real" whole food is and how to prepare and preserve it. This is because they have been raised on processed food products.
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I generally take a plane, or at least a long car ride in my SUV, to shop as far from my home as possible. I find this increases my carbon footprint wonderfully, and this helps to create jobs for all those unemployed carbon floorsweepers. Seriously though, you raise some good points, timethief. -
Great job with this list! It's a shame more people don't take advantage of, or see the benefits to buying and shopping local. People are in need of a way to see how it will effect them directly, and hopefully discussions like this will help. -
Removed, Sorry -
it helps local families like ours who grow real organic vegetables.
Not the kind just labeled that way -
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Thank you all for participating I have published my list.
You will find the post and the comments here
I love shopping local
thistimethisspace.com/2008/11/21/i-love-shopping-local/
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Great list and lots of great discussions here.
Supporting the independents will get us all of this economic mess.-
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Thank you. You will find the post and the comments have been published here
I love shopping local
thistimethisspace.com/2008/11/21/i-love-shopping-local/
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me, too. we're linking to your post from our social network at localshops1.ning.com
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Thanks for the recognition. It's great to hear your are spreading the word.
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Keep spreading the word because in these economic times it's critical that we do support our local businesses.
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yes, I agree
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WOW! Well done!
We thought the same way. We want to help local business and local residents survive the economy crisis. So we decided to launch a new site that will help everyone. It's Win-Win.
When you shop local store, you should ask for discount. It will encourage shoppers to stop by and shop more. It will also give local business chance to reach out more customers.
So here what we've done. A location based promotions system allows local business publish their promotions, discount coupons and allow anyone to print the local coupons from their computers based on where they are. Let's say zipcode.
Anyway, you can find out more about our free services for local business and local residentws at www.SmartLocalShoppers.com and see what we do exactly on our blog. www.SmartLocalShoppers.com/blog/
No matter where you are, you should support your local business and invite them to give your discounts. Good luck to all of you!
Your support to local business will make everything greener! -
here in the west coast of florida, we launched an indie-shopping site called localshops1.com ... it's a social site/directory all into one. please drop by. it's all free: www.localshops1.com
you can add stores, write reviews, meet new people, etc. -
I agree with Madam X about the cost of groceries and not enough time prepare meals but wonder if it is a mindset which binds us rather than anything else. If someone said this is how to shop locally and save would we be prepared to give up old habits and ways of doing things. To me you have to change beliefs systems first and that will take time. I know I dont do as much for the environment as I should not because it isnt possible but because it means a little bit of effort on my part finding the right resources. -
Yes. When possible I prefer to purchase from local or small vendors, rather than large chains. If I can patronize local retail, even better. Local restaurants are usually better than chains anyway, and you're likely to get better service when you shop locally.
Farmers' Markets are wonderful resources for fresh locally grown fruits and veggies, breads and pastries,and more. Speaking of which i need to get some more of tht mushroom ravioli from the market near mom.
I'm not perfect, buti make an effort,and try to change as much as I can gradually.-
It's good to hear that you are on board too. I think the recession does provide an opportunity both to innovate and to maintain all the good stuff we have right where we live.
Mushroom ravioli - you just solved my what's for supper question. Thanks
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