Committing to buying locally is not just for gifts, clothing and household products. It’s important to commit to buying locally everywhere. This week, I received an email from a customer that started off something to the effect of “forgive the intrusion…” But in my mind, it was a wake-up call. The email went on to awaken me to the need to look at everyday products we buy everywhere, in the grocery store, the hardware store, the household department, anywhere you buy anything.
Most of us are aware of locally owned restaurants and shoppes. But do we make the conscious effort to frequent them? As the owner of the New England Sampler, a locally owned and operated business that sells locally made specialty foods, gourmet chocolates, & gifts, gift baskets, household & personal products designed for New England and New Hampshire, for the past 6 years, I am now more than ever dedicated to try to be aware of the impact that buying locally made, from locally owned has on everything, especially our economy and our job market. And I’d like to share this awareness with everyone.
This year I bought many of my Christmas gifts downtown at locally owned businesses specializing in locally made products and products made in the USA. However, I never thought until I received this email of the impact our everyday shopping has on our economy until I received this very valuable and informative email. So I felt compelled to share the simple idea of buying locally made products everywhere you go.
Here’s the idea, and I know it takes a little more time and effort on all our parts, but isn’t keeping jobs here in the USA one of the most important things we can do for our economy and our job market? Here’ s an easy way to do it.
When you go shopping for anything, say groceries, decide what it is that you need first. The second step is find the items you need, for instance, dryer sheets. Most of us look for brands we know and prices. But look closer, and check to see where the dryer sheets are manufactured. Is it in the USA? If not, check another brand. Use this technique on every purchase you make and every item you can in every type of store. Make it a personal habit and share this habit with your friends and family.
Imagine the difference you can make in your family and community, by basing your decisions on where it’s made not just how much it costs. You may even end up paying a few cents less in the process. An added bonus is that you will be protecting our environment, since long distance shipping uses more fuel and produces more pollutents. Remember the goal is to keep jobs here, not send them out of the country. The outcome is that you strengthen your local economy and improve your local job market and protect your environment in the process.
If more people demand more items made in the USA, more companies will flourish right here in our country. So when you go shopping, which I will be doing this afternoon, look for items made in the USA, and in your local region, wherever you may be. I know that I will be checking the products more closely.
Remember to shop locally at locally owned and operated businesses and help our economy to thrive and grow. Don’t wait for the government to do it for you. After all we are a government of the people. So we the people should be doing our part to help our economy thrive.
Filed under: Buy Locally made from locally owned & operated, Made in the USA, New England Made, NH and New England Made, NH Made | Tagged: buy local, downtown shopping, economic growth, environment, go green, green shopping, keep downtown thriving, locally made, locally owned, Made in the USA, manchester, NH, NH Made, shop local, the new england sampler | Leave a Comment »
