We hope you will remember to by at least one gift locally this holiday season. This post was written by Tim Miles and was originally published on November 21, 2012.
Deb Brown over at needalittleadvice.com is a national treasure. She’s a terrific advocate for buying locally, and I read and loved her story about what her local chamber has been doing and suggests you do for the holidays:
Buy one gift locally.
Sure, you can buy more if you like but promise me – and your community – you’ll buy one.
Maybe it is fun to elbow your neighbor at 4 AM over the last $3 door buster throw rug.
Maybe it is easier to let Amazon and UPS do the heavy lifting.
And you can still do both those things.
Just. Buy. One. Gift. Locally.
Some statistics from Deb’s post:
– Throughout the United States, only about 33.6% of the revenue from national chains is reinvested into the community, which is very low compared to the 64.8% return from local businesses. (2009)
– A study in Austin, Texas found that $100 spent at a local bookstore produced $45 worth of local economic activity, and $100 at the chain store Borders brought back only $13.
– National chains often bring loss of employment. The opening of a Wal-Mart reduces retail employment by an average of 150 jobs in the county of its location.
– Local businesses are usually established in city centers, instead of on the margins of communities like large chains, so they contribute less to pollution, congestion, habitat loss and urban sprawl.Let’s make this pledge. I’m not asking for much – just one thing: buy one gift locally.
Let that be your gift to me.
Good luck Friday.
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