Voluntary Simplicity, Step 3: Supporting Local Farmers, Crafters, etc.

Reader Contribution by Staci Ducharme
Published on May 2, 2011
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Part of our process of simplifying our life is to make an effort toward purchasing items locally and/or handmade when possible.  I suppose it’s not truly part of a simplification process but rather geared toward sustainability.  We, however, chose to include this in our process as one of our goals.

Why buy local?  There are a number of reasons, but the most important to us is that making this decision benefits both the environment and the local economy.

Regarding the environmental impact, local items travel less distance to get to the consumer which cuts out much of the transportation and, in turn, reduces the use of valuable resources {namely gas} and pollution that come with it.  As far as the impact on the local economy, when you purchase something directly from the artist or farmer they typically benefit from a larger percentage of the profit as there is not a third party person/organization to pay.  Also, you are putting money back into your community.  An added bonus is you are supporting their dream or passion by supporting them with your purchase.

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