Today I came across an interesting article in Etsy's blog, the Storque, about why you should support your local businesses. Stacy Mitchell from the New Rules Project discusses how big chain stores, like Wal-Mart, have caused all sorts of problems, from increased greenhouse gas emissions to a decreased middle class.
Basically, buying locally benefits your own community. Not surprisingly. By purchasing from local businesses, indie crafters, or farmers, you help keep people in your own community employed. My own town was into a form of this idea over the summer. I saw "Shop Mansfield" signs on most of the store entrances I went past. Of course, most of these were chains anyway... Kind of defeats the purpose of Stacy's article.
Some cities, like Portland, have really embraced the whole buy local idea. They even have their own website. So if you're in the Portland area and are wanting to support your own community, be sure to check out the Portland Buy Local website. I did my own search to see if there was anything like the Portland site for my own community. Unfortunately it doesn't look like a comprehensive site like that exists for the Dallas-Fort Worth community. But I did come across the Go Local - Buy Local site, which looks promising. Here's hoping the north Texas area can get on the buy local bandwagon!
That being said, if you live in the north Texas area, you're definitely buying local at Bohemian Rose Bath & Soap! ;)
