Small-Marts Really Are Better
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.18.06
We keep talking about Small-Marts,where Michael Shuman points out how much more money stays in the community when you shop small and local. We post about the Declaration of Independents, where Stacey Mitchell says "No matter what keeps you awake at night—whether it’s the melting ice caps, peak oil, the threat of terrorism, the power of corporations, or the demise of civic engagement—the solution to all of these problems lies in rebuilding our local economies." Seth Godin, in Small is the new Big said that small, clever, honest and real businesses and ideas will succeed; big is slow, boring and broken. Read a recent post from his site about getting a tire fixed in Texas. Shopping local is not just better for your community and better for the environment, it can often be a better experience. ::Seth Godin
Schumacher was writing about this kind of thinking in 1975 - check out 'Small is Beautiful'.
What I love about TreeHugger is that it finds the most environmentally sound products, no matter where they exist in the world and no matter what size company creates them.
With its corporate home in New York City and correspondents located around the world, Treehugger is not a local company for me or the vast majority of its readers. It is supported by advertising from companies that sell their products globally through internet stores. Treehugger has a book store which uses Amazon, a large global company, to sell those books.
Right now I see an ad asking me to send my money half way around the planet to support chimpanzee being rescued in Africa. I see a post about bamboo platters being made by poor craftsmen in Viet Nam and Brazil.
I want to support the companies that are making great environmentally friendly products that advertise or are featured on Treehugger. I want to help support companies that are creating jobs in poor areas of the world. I want to help animals where ever they are in need around the planet. I want to see Treehugger grow and have its message spread to more people throughout the world. But I cannot do this if my goal is to buy locally from small companies.
So, screw this guy and his blatantly anti-Treehugger agenda.
So, screw this guy and his blatantly anti-Treehugger agenda.
Silly.