Loading ...« Weekly Wrapup - 22 February 2008 | Home | Local Search in 2008 »
Think Local, Act Local
By Cameron Ferroni | February 26, 2008
As many of my loyal readers know, I’ve resolved to do more locally this year. First off, I’ll report I’m doing OK - definitely doing a good job on shopping locally and driving less. Marchex’s focus on Local is going well, and I’ve already got a good handle on the charitable causes that I plan on helping out this year. On the Eat Local front I haven’t done as well as I would have liked, but there’s always room for improvement right?
With that said, I’m going to use my righteousness this week to encourage you to go out and do something local. Specifically, go discover a new business - either in your neighborhood or near where you work. Why? Well, as my parents used to say - “Because”. Actually, because I think it’s something that we “locals” just don’t do enough of. (Insert gross overgeneralization here regarding how as children we were full of wonderment and exploration but as we get older that falls by the wayside).
Think about the last time you got a new job, or moved into a new neighborhood. Half the fun was exploring the new surroundings, finding new local restaurants, discovering a new park, finding a great bookstore tucked away in an alley that you didn’t even know was there. But, as you get set into your routines that becomes harder. Lunch at work involves a debate between the same 3 places you always go. Walks around the neighborhood follow the same time-worn paths. As familiarity breeds comfort we settle into routines and there’s no impetus to break free. So take this as the impetus. Go. Go find something new. Just once this week, try a different restaurant, walk a different path, explore a new shop.
See how it feels - maybe you’ll start a new trend and do it every week. In fact, I’m going to commit right here to doing exactly that every week. And each week in my post, I’ll dedicate 1-2 sentences to keep you posted on progress. That will keep me honest. Oh, and while you are at it - if you do check out a new business, why not pop over to OpenList and leave a review - they’d love to hear from you….
Topics: Neighborhood, Community, Local Search |
February 26th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Cameron… I appreciate your focus on “living local.” However, I’m left with the perception that this activity is a chore, or some sort of “do gooder” undertaking.
My wife and I have been “local focused” for years (although not puritanical about it) and we are the primary beneficiaries. I won’t dissect the whole approach. Suffice to say… we are enmeshed in our community, we spend much less, we eat better, we spend more time outdoors and less in cars, and on and on…
And I appreciate your encouragement to break out of ruts… a good reminder.
Recommended resources:
Deep Economy by Bill McKibben, http://www.billmckibben.com/deep-economy.html
The Small-Mart Revolution by Michael Shuman, http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=1-9781576754665-0
And the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, http://ilsr.org
February 27th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
I love your local drive. It will become more important as the economy continues to flounder. Shop Local!