“Every time you spend money, you are casting a vote for the kind of world you want.”
That’s a quote from Anna Lappe, an American author, educator and sustainable food expert.
Lappe was likely referencing the importance of choosing sustainable foods and avoiding the stuff we know we should avoid. That is a lesson in itself, but there is another.
When we go online and purchase a sweater for our sister from Amazon, we are casting a vote. When we search for tools and buy a drill on Facebook for Uncle Mel, we are casting a vote. And when we pay cash for a watch at a local retail store, we are casting a vote, too. How we spend our money really does say a lot about what kind of world we want.
My friend Loren Colburn penned a column in INK magazine addressing this topic and taking it a step further. He wrote about the importance of doing business with people who do business with you and encouraging your co-workers to do the same. He acknowledged that this effort is constantly being “challenged with convenience, cost savings, availability and an endless stream of other obstacles.”
Colburn explained what so many of us know but seem to continually forget: that local businesses are the ones that “support the local property and school tax base, provide jobs for our families and neighbors, donate to local charitable organizations, sponsor youth sports and social programs and so much more.” He challenged us to become “champions of educating our communities on the benefits of buying locally.”
I accept Colburn’s challenge, and I challenge each of you to do the same. If you are looking for a place to start, check out the advertisements for local products and services in our publications that you receive at home, on racks or in digital formats. Or take a stroll down the streets of any shopping district in the community of your choice. The options are aplenty. It just depends on “what kind of world you want.”
Where will you place your vote?
Have a terrific Tuesday, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital editions
shane@gctimesnews.com
641-755-2115