Impact of buying local

One way to be GREEN is to buy products made locally - within 500 miles. I'm working with local furniture makers to create my own furniture line. The furniture will be high quality and a little more money than what you find at the local furniture stores. I started thinking about the impact of buying products made local. It goes so far beyond your pocket book. Yes it will cost you more dollars, but look at some of the long term benefits.

• Keep money working locally. Increasing the income for you neighbor which in turns puts more money into the locally econmy.
• Job growth due to increase in local sales.
• Less energy consumed in freight. Closer to home mean less travel before it gets to you. It also mean less freight damage and more timely delivery. It is not coming all the way from China...
• Your dollars pay for quality and materials vs. expensive long distant freight.
• Easy to confirm the content and quality of the materials.

So concider buying local when ever possible!