Think Globally, Buy Locally (and Independently, too...)
I'm trying to get across to the kids this holiday season that it's best for us to support the stores in our community, because those stores are the ones that employ their friend's parents, and other friend's parents work at businesses that are supported by the local stores.
We're very lucky that we live in the Twin Cities - home of Target and Best Buy - which makes them local, in a sense.
Although having said that, I'm stressing to the kids that it's best to get their toys at Creative Kids Stuff (around the corner from our home), their other clothes and gifts from Bibelot (also around the corner) and their book gifts at Red Balloon (down the street)
Yes, it may cost a few $$ more, but it's an investment in our local economy that's more than worth the small cost.
I get sick to death of people thinking that the $1.44 - or even the $150 - that they save on a pair of socks or a wide screen TV is going to improve their own lives to such an extent that it's worth the cost to the larger community. I'm not saying we shouldn't be smart shoppers, I try to be as frugal and cautious in my purchasing decisions as I can.
But being clever is different from being wise. I'd rather be a WISE shopper.
WalMart has a VERY effective ad campaign - "Save Money, Live Better" (which is suspiciously similar to Target's long-time tagline, "Eat well, pay less", I'm just sayin') - and it kind of makes me ill whenever I hear it. But they are very appealing ads, there's no doubt about it.
Ask yourself though, WHO exactly lives better?
I'll tell you who IS living better - the Walton family.
Yes, I know, I'm picking on WalMart. They deserve it.
So before you rush off to the big "W" for some extra cheap tinsel and popcorn-in-a-can, ask yourself if a local shop may offer the same thing (yes, it's true, for $1.99 more).
Then ask yourself if the $1.99 isn't a very good investment in your community. Fighting our way out of this current economic nightmare means we all have to be concerned about our own communities.
Btw, Frontline did an amazing documentary a few years ago about just this. It's really worth watching this shopping season...
News Flash
Gerry just got home from the dentist. THREE extractions. His mouth is full of gauze, he has a dazed, very pained look (not unlike a mass murderer. Have I been watching too much Forensic Files?)
This disease is merciless. He's been off the Zometa (a bisphosphonate he takes monthly to strengthen his bones so they don't break as easily) for a few months in preparation for this, but we still worry about the long term effects of an extractionn with residual traces of Zometa.
We're very lucky that we live in the Twin Cities - home of Target and Best Buy - which makes them local, in a sense.
Although having said that, I'm stressing to the kids that it's best to get their toys at Creative Kids Stuff (around the corner from our home), their other clothes and gifts from Bibelot (also around the corner) and their book gifts at Red Balloon (down the street)
Yes, it may cost a few $$ more, but it's an investment in our local economy that's more than worth the small cost.
I get sick to death of people thinking that the $1.44 - or even the $150 - that they save on a pair of socks or a wide screen TV is going to improve their own lives to such an extent that it's worth the cost to the larger community. I'm not saying we shouldn't be smart shoppers, I try to be as frugal and cautious in my purchasing decisions as I can.
But being clever is different from being wise. I'd rather be a WISE shopper.
WalMart has a VERY effective ad campaign - "Save Money, Live Better" (which is suspiciously similar to Target's long-time tagline, "Eat well, pay less", I'm just sayin') - and it kind of makes me ill whenever I hear it. But they are very appealing ads, there's no doubt about it.
Ask yourself though, WHO exactly lives better?
- Are the families whose jobs have been shipped to China (hello, Wooster, OH!) because WalMart insists on such a teensy-tiny practically non-existent profit margin for their suppliers living better?
- Are the local small shops that have been run out of business by Super Wal Marts living better?
- Are the folks in the Chinese government-run prison/factories/sweatshops living better when they crank out another 1,000 sets of incredibly cheap holiday lights for WalMart?
- Are the families of employees who can't make ends meet because WalMart cuts their hours to just under full-time so they're not eligible for health benefits (and they have to go on Medicaid) living better?
I'll tell you who IS living better - the Walton family.Yes, I know, I'm picking on WalMart. They deserve it.
So before you rush off to the big "W" for some extra cheap tinsel and popcorn-in-a-can, ask yourself if a local shop may offer the same thing (yes, it's true, for $1.99 more).
Then ask yourself if the $1.99 isn't a very good investment in your community. Fighting our way out of this current economic nightmare means we all have to be concerned about our own communities.
Btw, Frontline did an amazing documentary a few years ago about just this. It's really worth watching this shopping season...
News Flash
Gerry just got home from the dentist. THREE extractions. His mouth is full of gauze, he has a dazed, very pained look (not unlike a mass murderer. Have I been watching too much Forensic Files?)
This disease is merciless. He's been off the Zometa (a bisphosphonate he takes monthly to strengthen his bones so they don't break as easily) for a few months in preparation for this, but we still worry about the long term effects of an extractionn with residual traces of Zometa.
Feed me, baby!
25 Comments:
Amen, sister! I'm with you. I buy my vegetables, milk, meat, and eggs locally. It takes effort sometimes. Effort to drive FIVE miles to the farm to pick up my just picked produce and meat! (Not the 1500 miles most of our food travels) Effort to go to buy the milk (in glass bottles, from local grass fed cows) from another local shop...these are conscious choices we can make. Every consumer who does make this effort makes a difference. It adds up...and puts loads more money back in one's local economy. That's worth the extra $1.99!
Great post... agreed! I have started trying to figure out things I can save on in order to buy other things more locally. My favorite? Our milk comes from a dairy in our area and is delivered by a real milk man!!! It is worth every single extra penny.
On a Creative Kids note... I get Parents magazine and there was a big terrific ad in it for CK and their online shop. So I went and what a fun site... makes me miss the shop in MN!
And I'm in a veg CSA all summer from my friend's organic goat farm (too bad they're not fiber goats). Every little bit adds up...
I take a bit of pride that i live in Rego Park (queens, NY) a place that blocked (i did my part) a WalMart from coming in.
there is nothing about that store that i like.
(i saw the frontline series when it was first presented)
Walmart is only 'cheaper'if you look at one aspect --the price (of a single item)
but when you add in the destruction of local markets, of local jobs, the depression of wages, (and all the things that go along with that) Walmart is destructive expensive.
I have yet to convince my husband that buying stuff as cheaply as possible is not necessarily the shopping wisely. But I keep working on it.
I didn't realize Wal-Mart had to CUT hours to get people to less than full time. I thought they HIRED them that way. Bunch of over-greedy capitalists...
Inspiring post! I never go to Wal-Mart (and we have TWO in this little city...) My downfall is buying online, which I usually justify in a variety of ways - small city many things not available here, time savings, my hatred of real-life shopping at the mall, and yes, sometimes $$ saving.
But I also do make a point to keep a lot of dollars in town...my LYS, the locally-owned grocery store, farmer's market and other small shops - all know me as a regular customer.
Anyway, your post is a great reminder to keep doing that- thanks!
I have not set foot inside a Walmart or Sam's Club in over 10 years -my conscience just won't let me. Oh & you forgot to mention the workers who are forced to clock out & then continue to work so they not only don't get overtime pay but they don't even get straight time pay. I've seen that documentary & there is also one that I've seen on IFC (I think - could have been Sundance) that is about the childr3en who make the Mardi Gras beads for use in NO during Mardi Gras - not Walmart related but still about how our purchasing choices affet others half a world away.
Right on, Annie! I wish more people considered the long-term consequences of their actions. With everything else you have going on, it's really admirable you go the extra to try to buy local.
Take care,
I completely agree with the sentiment of buying locally. However, it is not always possible or practical. Shopping for clothing at small stores such as Bibelot (right near where I work) is basically impossible if you are on a budget and the same is true of many boutique/small stores (especially on Grand Ave.). I think it is important to try to shop locally as much as you can given your economic standing and supplement by going to the big box stores (yes, such as WalMart). It is not kind, or in the holiday spirit to shame someone who simply can't afford to go anywhere else. Sometimes a few dollars is a really big difference.
First, I hope Gerry recovers quickly from the extractions.
Then on to Walmart. Thanks for the post. And thanks to Sarah, too, for her comment. I made the choice not to buy if the only stated retail price I can afford to pay is at Walmart. Certainly there are some people who will only have one shirt or one set of dishes or cookware if they go for the absolute cheapest retail price tag. The rest of us can do our part, not buy ten of something or a luxury item if WM or similar is the only thing that *looks* affordable. Everyone do their part, as they are able, and we will all do better.
I saw the Frontline piece you mention. It changed the way I think about shopping. For me, WalMart is the island of last resort. Shopping locally does make more sense. Lines are probably shorter too. Your time is worth at least that $1.99 you would save on your purchase.
I work at Wal-Mart. I quit Target because they ran me into the ground. My boss was mean and even when I worked by butt off she harrassed me. During the holidays they wanted you to do alot of extra work but in the same 8-hour shift. The supervisors get bonuses for keeping the hours down, so they have an incentive to beat you like a rented mule. Maybe other Target's are better. But all their tags say "Made in China" too.
I've had nothing but great treatment at Wal-Mart. No trouble with health insurance and all the overtime I can handled this holiday. (Yes I get time and a half). They tell us straight up "no working off the clock". All my supervisors treat me respectfully and don't expect me to do more than I can get done in a shift. I think there are probably some bad eggs out there, but my store is great! I think your information may be outdated.
Sorry, but i don't agree with you on target. if that's what you call local in MN i'm not buying it. there is a lot of mileage on the products they sell. I don't care for wal mart either. my dad works for wal mart and he is NOT treated well.
Sorry to hear of jerry's rotten deal with his teeth. hope he is feeling better soon.
What tha - what do you mean "You don't agree with me on Target?" What did I say about Target except that it's based in the Twin Cities. Are you saying it isn't?
You're not just anonymous, you're confusing.
For me, Walmart is the last resort, otherwise I would go to other stores first. I am lucky to live in area where shops are abundant. However, there are other areas where Walmart is the only option. For those folks, they don't have a choice. I don't critized folks about shopping at Walmart (not that I say Annie is critizing others), but I do make a point of quietly telling people that I don't go to Walmart. If they want to know why then I would tell them my reasons.
Odd post for an online merchant.
I quit shopping at Walmart several years ago when a friend of a friend first got her hours cut to part time and lost her health insurance and then got fired from Walmart after almost 15 years with an exemplary employment record when she got cancer. All because they didn't want to pay the health benefits.
I try very hard to support my local shops as opposed to the big box retailers. It's not always possible, but every bit helps.
I think the person who made the comment "Odd comment for an online merchant." is missing an important idea. It's not just buying locally, it's buying directly from folks involved in the process of making the item. Whether it's a pound of pork or a dress or a knitting pattern, if you buy from places like Walmart you're making stockholders and the Walton family wealthy but not the employees who work really hard for their small pay. I'd rather order a PDF file from Annie or another independent designer who I know will benefit directly from my purchase rather than pay Walmart for a knitting book and realize that the designer might be lucky to earn just pennies on the dollar.
We've been trying to support several CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture) this past year. We order a box of fruit and veg from the farmers each week and occasionally buy half a pig or lamb or a side of beef. It's a bit more costly than Safeway but cheaper than our local store where we would buy organic food and meats.
This fall I bought a share in a fiber CSA and am looking forward to a delivery of yarn after shearing.
Well at least the docs and dentists are working together. My FL went to the dentist and they were about to do an extraction there and then despite being told he was on Zometa.
Annie, I consider you my neighbor, and think that any PDF purchase is indeed local. After all, it is practically instant! The 2000+ miles between us don't mean anything online.
People still tell me they can't afford to buy organic produce. We live in Los Angeles. There are local farmer's markets all over the place, where I pay less than I would at the grocery store and get food that tastes ten thousand times better and has no chemicals on it. I can't afford to not buy local.
I'd say that Target, Kroger, Hy-Vee, Home Depot, Lowe's, Menards, Best Buy, Circuit City, Pizza Hut, and a host of other mega-merchandisers (aka "big box stores") are evil incarnate as a group. These types of stores are what has destroyed "downtown main street" in countless communities across North America.
I'm sure I'm leaving off any number of other huge chains (Walgreens, Rite-Aid, Joann's, Michael's, Hobby Lobby, and more), but there's almost always a "better" choice that's a local merchant or at least something that's locally owned or not HUGE and taking money OUT of the community.
When Sam Walton was alive, he made it a point to try to stock the store with as many American made products as were possible.
Then, he died and the family got greedy. It's just no fun to shop there anymore.
Remember when you were a kid and you had maybe 3 or 4 pairs of shoes? One for dress, one or two for school, one for play? Maybe if we all curbed our consumerism and didn't need dozens of different pairs of shoes or dresses or whatever we could afford to pay more for a few good things at higher prices.
That said, I've been in those Chinese factories, and many today aren't slave shops. The gratitude the workers have for jobs that let them support families is palpable. Just because they don't live next door to me doesn't mean I can't wish them some prosperity, too.
Hi Annie,
It is unpleasant to read rants against something in a blog post - even if it is a rant against Wal-Mart. Somehow, it has become politically correct to bash Wal-Mart - I find it just as offensive as bashing Gays, Jewish people, Islamic people, Republicans or Democrats.
True tolerance is the only thing that is going to bring peace to our Earth - tolerance of things, places, people or organizations with which we don't agree but will tolerate with grace and acceptance.
Even though you and many others don't like shopping at Wal-Mart, many other people like being able to get all their needs at one place so they don't have to drive around as much and at a price that is very good. I shop at Wal-Mart and I'm not ashamed of that. The goods at Wal-Mart are manufactured in the same places as the goods you buy at any other store. The boxes of pasta at Wal-Mart are made in the same factory as the ones at Safeway - they are just half the price.
For many of us that live in rural areas, Wal-Mart is a very helpful place. I have to drive 20 miles to the nearest town, I can shop at Wal-Mart there and get most things I need without having to drive miles to the next town or pay the inflated prices at Safeway or City Market. Also, Wal-Mart is the only place within over 100 miles to buy some products.
I think it's a shame when people have to bash something that they don't personally like.
Sammie
Walmart is not a religion, ethnicity or orientation, it's a corporation that's proven over and over that the bottom line is more important to their board of directors than the health, safety and welfare of their workers and the country in which they're based.
I'm sorry that rants aren't fun to read, I didn't really think it was a rant - but that's in the eye of the reader.
However, I stand by everything I said about WalMart. I also know, personally, of several good decent sized shops that have gone out of business when WalMart or Home Depot opened, sucking all the air and life out of the traditional down-town shopping centers.
I'm glad there's a store near you (yes, even a WalMart) so you don't have to drive 20 miles to buy necessities. But I abhor the practices of WalMart in their dealings with vendors, employees and the local towns where they take over.
Agreed. Life isn't a race to see who can die with the most stuff.
It's for this sort of reason that I did a Fair Trade Halloween this year. It made me kind of ill to think of the children who harvest the chocolate in comparison to the happy children who get the chocolate.
We need to stop being so concerned with money - ours, stocks, massive profit margins - and think about people.
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