OCCUPY WALL STREET

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by Toughy

As I was watching the news this morning, a story about Occupy SF was aired. They went to Union Square yesterday during the Black Friday madness to protest. Thousands of shop til you drop buying from big department stores were there to see the Xmas tree light up. One of the Occupy leaders (yes there are leaders whether or not anyone wants to admit that) was interviewed and he said we should not shop AT ALL. We should make gifts, not buy them.

This struck me as completely wrong-headed. I have no gripes with a slow down of shopping corporate stores. However we should be shopping exclusively at small local businesses. Small business is the backbone of creating and maintaining communities and the real economy.

It is 'small business saturday' and we should all shop small local business every day not just today.

I agree Toughy- I know it is hard for many to pass up saving some on items on their list, but our local merchants need our business! Also, they participate in many revitalization efforts of communities that help make them safer and do bring direct tax revenues back to schools and other public services like fire stations and hospitals. And they do not have mega-million dollar lobbyists on Capitol Hill on their behalf.

Most big-box enterprises are entrenched in Wall Street and take money out of the US.

In the last 3 years, I have seen 8 small businesses close in El Cerrito and those are just the ones that I shopped in. The owners are and were (2 lost their homes and have moved) my neighbors, living within less than two miles from me.

I bet there are several people you know that were part of the fantastic revitalization efforts in Oakland that are just trying to hang on. Think of how many of them that gave part-time jobs to teens and supported community activities.

Today is Small Business Shopping Day!! I only have to buy one gift (we do a drawing in my family and have a cut off price)- and I am buying it at a local merchant. Yes, I priced it via online and would save about $7 if I bought it at best Buy (I drew a teen family member this year) and I do need to stick to a budget, but I am buying it at the Guitar Store here. It's the least I can do for my town.

Activism is well.... taking ACTION...

[Sachita]

I spent an entire day trying to find local businesses to shop at. It was very hard to find where I live. The saddest thing to me is that i live in a region where there are tons of farms and if you go to ANY food store here you won't find any local produce.

Rallys are great but change has to be a grassroots effort in each and every community.

[SoNotHer]

So many compelling reasons to shop locally...

[MsMerrick]

Originally Posted by Sachita

I spent an entire day trying to find local businesses to shop at. It was very hard to find where I live. The saddest thing to me is that i live in a region where there are tons of farms and if you go to ANY food store here you won't find any local produce.

Rallys are great but change has to be a grassroots effort in each and every community.

Consider Etsy, consider a thread here, that highlights Etsy sellers, from BFP. Under Queerbay. Consider websites that only sell American made goods, sourced and made, not just assembled here,. Local in this context, starts with being actually made in the US of A. Produce, consider a local CSA, I am betting there is one somewhere near you ...
Sometimes you do have to look a little harder, but just doing a bit ,is a start : )