Why All the Fuss About Local?
added 10/08/08
If you read the Co-op News with any regularity or follow the many articles that appear on our website, you know that our Co-op puts a lot of emphasis on community-building—particularly when it comes to facilitating cooperative economies, supporting local farms, and working to preserve the delicate, intricate web of area agriculture.
Our Board of Directors, for example, has written that our Co-op “exists to provide cooperative commerce for the greater good of our members and community,” a sentiment reflected by the work done throughout the various facets of the Co-op as a whole. But why are things like cooperation and local economies so important?
“Studies have shown that money spent by consumers and businesses at the locally owned bookstore, music store, or grocery will put more dollars back into the local economy than if those dollars are spent at a business owned by an outside entity,” writes Co-op General Manager Terry Appleby in an article for the Co-op News. “Simply stated, the locally owned bookstore will tend to have a local accountant, a local attorney, and employ local management. They are likely to purchase supplies, computers, and services locally. Many of those dollars are then used locally in a cycle of benefit for the community.”
Want to Learn More?
Check out this article published on October 7 by The New York Times. And if you have a question or comment about our cooperative’s mission, we’d love to hear from you! Please send us an email.
