Think Local – Buy Local – Be Local! As a follow-up for our Buy Local campaign, The ORD Option, we’re offering some insight into the purchasing power of buying locally. Spending dollars in our community can have some seriously positive impacts in the community in which YOU live. For example:
– Buy Local – Support Yourself: Several studies have shown that when you buy from an independent, locally owned business, rather than a nationally 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.
– Support Community groups: Non – profit organizations receive an average 250% more support from smaller business owners than they do form large businesses (more to come on this next week).
– Keep Our Community Unique: Where we shop, where we eat and have fun—all of it makes our community home. Our one-of-a-kind businesses are an integral part of the distinctive character of this community. Our tourism businesses also benefit.
– Reduce Environmental Impact: Locally owned businesses can make more local purchases requiring less transportation. This contributes to less congestion, habitat loss, and pollution.
– Create More Good Jobs: Small local businesses are the largest employer nationally and in our community, providing the most jobs to residents.
– Get Better Service: Local businesses often hire people with a better understanding of the products they are selling and taking more time to get to know customers.
– Invest in Community: Local businesses are owned by people who live in this community, are less likely to leave, and are more invested in the community’s future.
– Put Your Taxes to Good Use: Local businesses require comparatively little infrastructure investment and make more efficient use of public services as compare to nationally owned stores entering the community.
– Encourage Local Prosperity: Economic research shows that in an increasingly homogenized world, entrepreneurs and skilled workers are more likely to invest and settle in communities that preserve their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character.
Information reprinted from Sustainable Connections, 2010: http://sustainableconnections.org/thinklocal/why
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