5 Reasons to Think Local First

Since nothing is more local than the lands that surround us, it’s no surprise that the Legacy Land Conservancy is a fan of the Local First movement. I was in Jackson today and stopped by the Armory Arts center (home of, among other things, the Jackson School of the Arts) and picked up a flyer from Jackson Local First (www.jxnlocalfirst.com). It offers some great answers about shopping “local first” (What if they don’t have what I want? What if they cost too much? What if they aren’t open when I need them?) including their Five Reasons to think Local First:

Local First means…
Give your local businesses a try first when you need something, be it goods or services. If they don’t have what you need, ask. Maybe they can get it. If not, move on. If the price isn’t the same, decide if the services make up for it, or if the benefits to your community are worth it to you. Sometimes it is hard to put a price on knowledge and assistance.

5 Reasons to think Local First:
#1 Building Community – The casual encounters you enjoy at neighborhood businesses and the public spaces around them build relationsihps and local cohesiveness. They’re the ultimate social networking sites!
#2 Economic Vitality – Each dollar you spend at a local independent business returns 3 times more money to our local economy than one spent at a chain – a benefit we all can bank on.
#3 Character – Why did you choose to live here? What keeps you? Independent businesses give Jackson County its one-of-a-kind personality.
#4 A Healthier Environment – Independent, community-serving businesses are people-sized. They consume less land, carry more locally-made products, and locate closer to residents – creating less traffic and pollution.
#5 Lower Taxes – Local businesses put less demand on our roads, sewers, and safety services than most chains and generate more tax revenue per sales dollar, keeping your taxes lower.

Source: A great brochure (that I can’t find online, unfortunately) put out by: JXN Local First
The Local First group for Washtenaw: Think Local First of Washtenaw County

Do you like to buy local? For what types of things? What would make it easier or more enjoyable?
-Suzie