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Bringing it all back
home
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by Suzanne Fisher
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Capital District Local First, an
organization of people and businesses within the counties of Saratoga,
Rensselaer, Schenectady and Albany, has an exciting agenda and a
delightful approach to educating us about it. Their mission is twofold:
to educate the community about the benefits of patronizing local
businesses, and to help local businesses and nonprofits learn how to
enhance the “triple bottom line” of profit, sustainability and social
responsibility. The businesses include retail, service, nonprofit and
financial institutions, including Honest Weight.
I attended an event on June 6 at the Saratoga Train Station, featuring
a talk by James Howard Kunstler, whose latest novel World Made By Hand was reviewed
several months ago in the Coop Scoop. Before the talk got underway,
there was time to browse through his recent books, as well as for
informal discussions with Mr. Kunstler, Local First board members and
each other. We also sampled local beer courtesy of Brown’s Brewing
Company of Troy and fruit and cheeses provided by Honest Weight. Mr.
Kunstler then spoke and read a passage from his new book. After that,
the floor was opened for questions and comments, of which there was no
shortage.
Also this summer, an event was held August 4 at Brown’s Brewery in
Troy, with a tour of the brewery followed by a talk with local resident
Jeff Goodell, author of Big Coal:
The Dirty Secret Behind America’s Energy Future.
On September 18, Stacy Mitchell will talk about “Big-Box Swindle: The
True Cost of Mega Retailers and the Fight for America’s Independent
Businesses.” She will also speak about her work with the New Rules
Project, a program of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. The talk
begins at 7 p.m., with the location to be announced.
Karen Schlesinger of Digital Artist’s Space, located in Troy, is a
Local First board member who has been active with the group almost from
its inception. She is a co-founder of Troy Night Out and a member of
Honest Weight, and is also involved with the Troy Downtown
Collaborative.
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Why
Buy and Bank Locally?
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When
Karen became aware of Local First, she said it just made sense to her.
She said that Local First’s emphasis has been on outreach and education
regarding the importance of buying and banking locally, which keeps
money recirculating within our region, rather than sending it off to
investors and CEOs of faraway companies.
The Local First website notes: ”One study of the local economy showed
that $68 out of every $100 that is spent at a local business stays in
the community, versus $43 of every $100 spent at a chain.” The website
also speaks of “living economy organizations” which “strive to provide
workers with a healthy workplace and meaningful, living-wage jobs” and
“yield a “living return” to owners and investors that balances
self-interest with one’s obligation to the community and future
generations.” Karen pointed out that big chain stores deplete
communities of living wage jobs and, essentially, of choices. They are
much more likely to ignore the unsustainability of their practices in a
given community because they do not live there. To find out about what
Local First is doing, visit their website — www.CapitalDistrictLocalFirst.org
— and check out their schedule of free meetings, mission statement and
the list of currently enrolled businesses who support them and are
promoted by them.
Local First’s events not only teach about the local business scene in a
very enjoyable manner; they also enlarge our understanding of the
environmental, political and financial forces within our nation and the
world at large.
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