Eco Holiday Week: Keep your Money Local!

The cash registers are ringing as loud as the jingle bells these days–but where is your money going this Christmas?   If you want to do the most good with the money you spend on Christmas presents, shop local!

According to the Oct. 2004 Andersonville Study of Retail Economics, local merchants keep their profits in the local economy.  For every $100 spent at a chain store, the total local economic impact is only $43.  The same amount spent with a local merchant yields $68.  Local merchants aren’t sending and spending their profits to corporate heads in other locations.  Locally owned businesses keep their payroll local, they procure goods and services from other locally owned businesses more frequently than “big box retailers”  and they donate more on average to local charities than chain stores.  Money spent locally also keeps the character of our neighborhoods intact and helps our nation recover from this recession.

In the same vein, by buying locally produced goods, you’re doing even more to keep money flowing in your local economy.   Enviro-Girl is lucky to live in Wisconsin where cheesemakers, wineries, and chocolate shops abound.  All of these places sell great gifts made practically in Enviro-Girl’s back yard.  Additionally, several local shops sell items like candles, stationery, honey, maple syrup, jewelry and jam made from local resources and by people living in her community.  When she buys locally produced gifts, that money stays in her community, keeping her neighbors and friends employed.  Enviro-Girl also feels righteous knowing her “gift miles” add up to less than 50, instead of 2,000 if she’d bought a gift made in China.

Not sure where to start?  The Sustainable Table: Shop Sustainable offers a load of links to help you discover locally owned businesses and locally produced goods.  Locallectual is another site that provides a lot of information.  Finally, drive downtown instead of out to the strip malls or shopping centers.  Get out of your car and walk around.  Enviro-Girl guarnantees you’ll find at least one interesting place to spend your money and keep it local.

Do the MOST good with your shopping dollars this Christmas season.  Shop local and buy locally produced goods.