The Importance of Buying Locally

When we were in Arizona, we spent the majority of our time at my sister-in-law's house. There wasn't any reason for shopping, except to run to the grocery store a few times to get food to feed the 25 or so people who were there every night for dinner. But one day, we took a drive out to see Montezuma Castle. 

On the trip out, we needed lunch and stopped at a local deli in a small town. On the ride back, we stopped at a roadside stand run by Native Americans for freshly cooked fry bread (yum) and to look at original art. I didn't buy any art, but if I had been struck by something, I would have. 

I'm a big proponent of buying locally, even when I'm not home. I think it's important that when you're somewhere, you contribute to their local economy. 

What good does buying locally do?

It stimulates the local economy - A  2002 study done in Texas showed that for every $100 that was spent in a chain bookstore, only $13 of it was put back into the local economy. But that same $100 spent at a local, independently owned bookstore put $45 back into the local economy. Think of that next time you're deciding to get your coffee from Starbucks or the local corner coffee house.

It helps locals keep their jobs - Most people who work in local businesses live locally. By buying from these places, you help your neighbors keep their jobs and that benefits your whole community.

Local businesses give back locally - Do you know who sponsors the little league and softball teams in your town? I do. The local corner coffee house, the corner bar, the independent ice cream parlor (is it beginning to sound like I live in Mayberry? Actually, I kind of do!). I also know who donates gift certificates and baskets when the PTA is holding an auction or someone is holding a beef and beer night to raise money for a local cancer patient. It's the same businesses who sponsor my sons' sports teams. By supporting these businesses, I help ensure that they can support the community.

It's good for the environment - Less auto emissions occur when you're going only a few blocks (you could even walk or ride your bike) for what you need that traveling miles away to a big box store. If enough people buy locally, it could actually prevent a big box store, which usually devours open space and requires new roads to be built, from infiltrating your community. 

If you're buying locally grown food, its really good for the environment because you're helping the small farmers to keep their farms operational instead of shutting down and selling to developers. There are so many reasons to buy locally grown food that I'll have to write a separate post.

It promotes a sense of community - If you want to get to know your neighbors and others in your community, supporting the local businesses is a great way to get to know others. Going into my local coffee house is like walking into Cheers. I know the baristas and they know my name, there's one guy who is always there who always knows more about what I'm talking about than I do (or so he thinks), I run into other stay at home moms during the day (there are more of us out there and happy about it than Hillary wants to admit!), and the coffee is really good.

Most of us are about to get our government stimulus checks (I'll give you a major shout out on this blog if you can explain to me where exactly the government is getting this money to give to us). The powers that be hope that people spend that money to help stimulate the economy. Now, I'm not saying you should spend this money, but I'm suggesting that if you do, you spend some of it right in your own community.

ENERGY STAR Change a Light, Change the World Campaign

If you live in my town, you may have noticed an article in our town's newspaper about this change a light campaign we're doing. But, I know not everyone reads it cover to cover, so I thought I'd discuss it a little here.

If you don't live in my town, you might still be interested in reading, because other communities can become involved in this campaign, too. You may want to mention it to the powers that be.

My town is encouraging 200 residents to pledge to replace at least one old fashioned light bulb in their home with a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL) that has earned the ENERGY STAR label. This campaign is kicking off on March 1, 2008.

If 200 residents change just one bulb per household, it is estimated that more than 80,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions will be saved over the life of those light bulbs. CFL's last 6-10 times as long as traditional bulbs and use 75% less energy. They cost more upfront, but save you money, and help save the planet, in the long run.

To sign up for the pledge, go to Energy Star's website, and click on "Join us, Take the Pledge." Fill out the form and in the organization box,  scroll down to our town's name (Borough of...) and pledge to change a light bulb (or 2 or 20). 

I know that a lot of people are leery of CFL's. They have a reputation of not giving off the same kind of light as traditional bulbs. I found this at first, too, but their quality has greatly improved over the past year and the ones I am buying now are better than the ones I bought a year ago.

Another concern is the fact that CFL's contain mercury and that the bulb's pose a hazard if they break. The hazard's are not that dangerous, and the EPA has a site that recommends what to do if one does break. Click, here, and scroll down the page to "What to Do if a Fluorescent Light Bulb Breaks."

You can also find the closest recycling center for CFL's, here, and I just found out as I was researching this that you can take CFL's back to IKEA stores where they have recycling bins.

For more info on CFL's you can go to Energy Star's information page on them, here.

Changing out light bulbs is one easy way that we all can become a little greener every day.

What I Saw The Recycle Pick Up Guys Do This Morning

At my last green committee meeting for my community, it was mentioned that glass/plastic/aluminum and paper were going to be picked up by the same truck simultaneously from now on. It was more cost effective and more environmentally friendly because instead of two separate trucks driving around all day, only one truck needed to be used. 

I was wondering, is the truck divided so that paper goes on one side and glass/plastics on the other? How will this work? So today, I watched. The guys took everything I had placed outside to be recycled and threw it all into the back of the truck together. I was surprised.

In our community newspaper there had been an article about the two being picked up together, but I didn't bother to read it. So I hunted it down and here is what I found out:

There is new technology at the recycling plant that our town uses that allows for all items to be mixed together. That was as technical as the explanation got. I'm going to have to ask at our next green committee meeting how it really works because I'm confused.

Something else that was pointed out in the article is that now all the items to be recycled can be placed into one receptacle - no separation is necessary. Apparently, when this is allowed the percentage of items recycled goes up because people don't need to take the time and effort to put the things in separate containers.

Seriously? It's too much effort for people to separate their paper from glass/plastic so they just throw it in the trash can? 

Its good that my community has made this change. If it gets more people to recycle its even better. I just can't believe that people had trouble separating in the first place.

My next green committee meeting is the first week in March, so I'll have more to say about all the efforts that are going on to turn our little town green. Until then, if you live in my town - throw caution to the wind and mix those paper with your plastics/glass. Have a ball. 

What Should Go in the Packet?

As I've mentioned before, my town is going green. There are some very exciting, progressive things happening in my little town that has always prided itself on its old fashioned community way of life. 

As part of the town committee, I've been asked to create a Green Packet to be given to new residents. My task is to come up with materials for an information packet on the town's green initiatives and inform new residents how they can contribute. That's about all of the instruction I was given. So I'm wondering, what should go in this packet?

I've got a few ideas. 

A FAQ sheet for both paper recycling and plastic, glass, can recycling.

A refrigerator magnet with the department of public work's number on it for special trash pick up (like refrigerators or metal objects)

Information on CFL light bulbs including how to properly dispose of them and the closest disposal facility.

Information on the closest disposal facilities for many items such as batteries, paint cans, motor oil, electronics, etc.

Those are my ideas so far. If anyone reading this has any other ideas, let me know. I really want to do a thorough job.

Proud of my Hometown

I went to a meeting last week at our borough hall because I've been invited to be a committee to researching the possibility to green our municipal energy. At the meeting we had a question and answer period with someone from a company that would do an energy audit of our municipality and then come back to us with a "sustainable energy master plan." They would make recommendations as to how all of the energy that our municipality uses (borough hall, police station, fire station, traffic and street lights, etc.) could be changed to use sustainable energy sources.

It was a very educational meeting. I'm really proud that my little town is investigating these options and that the powers that be are really interested in seeing if it's possible to make this happen. 

It's also got me thinking about the renovations that my husband and I are planning for our home in the near future. We've already started talking about perhaps going a little smaller than originally planned to save on energy. But maybe we can have solar panels put on the roof. There are lots of other options that I don't know anything about, YET. But I am definitely going to do some research before we forge ahead with our plans.

One thing I definitely learned at that meeting the other night, I've got a lot left to learn.