Your Green Holiday Challenge? Shop Sustainable in Your Hood
This holiday season, avoid succumbing to advertisers brainwashing us to believe that Best Buy and Macy’s are the only acts in town because of rock bottom sales and coupons. Instead, think local. Sure, we’re a global people, but neighborhood businesses need our support to survive.
The backbone of our small towns and cities is local business, and without them, we have main street vacancies, dark buildings, for lease signs, and people moving elsewhere. It all adds up to a good reason to shop locally this year.
Kelly Drennan, Founder of ShopSustainable and Fashion Takes Action
Kelly Drennan of Toronto’s Fashion Takes Action knows the win-win of shopping locally, and has taken it a step further by initiating her own program this holiday season called ShopSustainable.
Drennan’s city-wide initiative challenging consumers to shop locally as well as ethically this holiday season has a clear goal: Raising a general awareness of eco-friendly products while promoting Toronto-based products and online retailers who carry them. The program is a collaboration of Fashion Takes Action and Evolution Green.
Drennan says for these industries, it’s vital to transmit the message about where the sustainable businesses are, and to get local people to shop them.
“Most people are now doing what they can to lighten their footprint, whether it means driving less, turning down the thermostat, or carrying reusable shopping bags,” says Drennan. “However, if consumers purchase just one gift or stocking stuffer this holiday season that is sustainable, then collectively it can have a very significant impact. Shop Sustainable challenges consumers to put their wallet where their heart is, for the planet.”
The notion of mindful consumerism has everyone wondering whether saving money this holiday season outweighs quality, ethics and investing in a more authentic buying experience. Will consumers see that pumping money into local businesses recirculates the wealth in their communities?
Check out this MSN article featuring tips on how to shop locally and see if you’re up for the challenge. And of course, if you’re in Toronto, ShopSustainable!
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3 Comments
December 11th, 2009 at 9:16 am
Amy, I’m happy to report I purchased new journals for my daughters for Hanukkah (which starts today!) in the hood at Just for Fun, a great local biz on West Portal in SF. You are so right about supporting our mom and pop vendors.
December 14th, 2009 at 8:15 am
Local stores are like a valuable circle around our town. I live in a small town in Maine with locally owned businesses. The hardware store still has the door that has been welcoming people since the 1800’s. Now that is commitment and friendships that have formed the backbone of this town. The local grocery store is the heartbeat of every kitchen and another meeting place that leads people to interact. Whether, it is for a quilt raffle to benefit some unfortunate soul whose has fallen on hard times or supporting the local library or school.
Local stores are a personal experience. My goodness, don’t we need some of that and guess what it doesn’t cost a cent for that gift.
December 21st, 2009 at 12:20 am
I try to keep all of my shopping in my local Portland neighborhoods. Its so nice to support my local business (and we have a lot of great places!).
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