Supporting Local Business is Greener

Buying local foods has been a fixture in the green movement for a while now, but there are plenty of reasons to support all local business—and especially ones that also lead by example with eco-friendly business practices.

Local businesses have a significant impact on local economies. They keep money flowing by employing local staff. They produce quality products (or they won't last long). They help attract other businesses. And they also often provide services tailored to their customers' needs—a benefit in order to compete with large corporations. If that weren't enough to get you pulling for the little guy (or gal), supporting local businesses has a significant impact on the local and global environment.

First and foremost, if products are made locally, you significantly reduce transportation emissions, because in conventional shipping of goods, products are typically transported from manufacturing facilities to warehouses, and then warehouses to retail locations. Some goods can travel thousands of miles or even tens of thousands of miles before they make it to your home, so shopping local cuts a lot of this out.

These reduced emissions means less greenhouse gasses (GHGs) are released into the air, and that in turn helps prevent increases in air temperature caused by heat-trapping GHGs, which is the chief cause of climate change. So by working together, local business owners and consumers can help do their part in the climate change fight.

Closer to home, local companies also have a vested interest in their communities, and that means they often care about local environmental issues (although this isn't a given, so do your homework before you buy!). Whether it's supporting clean water or water conservation initiatives, donating money to wildlife programs, or participating in commercial recycling programs, local businesses care about the community they work in because they also live there.

A sub-sector of local business, artists, artisans, and crafters often embrace green business practices as a way to both save money/improve profitability and care for the planet. Many make products from scrap materials, reducing waste to increase their profit margin, and they often also conserve resources to save money—vital for independent creative producers trying to eke a decent living out of their work.

Shopping via local online stores is another great way to keep emissions and overhead resources down. Some handmade goods merchants sell their products online through sites such as Etsy, so they don't even have a costly retail space (you can find local Etsy sellers with a simple Shop Local search). The products are shipped directly, which means they get to you in the most efficient manner since shipping companies have efficient routes to keep packages moving, and USPS mail carriers spend a lot of time on foot.

When we support local business, we're helping to build a sustainable future. Consumers have better relationships with local producers, whom they know and can trust, and businesses can build relationships and partnerships that are mutually beneficial and help sustain small business throughout the country.