Buy Locally! its your best bet

I'm sure we're all privvy to the economic meltdown news that bombards us day in and day out... but forgive me this little rant... its killing me that the MSM isn't encuraging this...

but there is one thing I see completely lacking in all the MSM coverage, and even here on ATS...

Buy Local! only buy from locally own shops, and buy only locally produced goods...

screw wal-mart, sears, and all the major global corporations... Buying locally will make sure that when the fit hits the shan, your local economy will be able to sustain itself...

When you buy at wal-mart, your money goes to some major corporate big wigs off in another part of the country, actually doing nothing for the local guys... When the big giants go down, you'll need local business to sell you your nessesities... if these mom-and-pop operations are out of business, its going to be much more difficult than you could imagine...

I live in Michigan, where we are for all intents and purposes, in a depression already... I've been buying local exclusively for the last year, and encouraging everyone I know to do the same...

hopefully people will listen....

/end rant

The reason the MSM won't cover it is obvious: the same people controlling the MSM own Walmart etc. (i.e. are shareholders)

In seattle I think a lot of people have always taken pride in supporting NW companies, and people. I'd have to say, although things seem to be getting worse around here too, that seattle has maintained a pretty decent economt. I'm sure that part of the reason is from big companies like boeing and microsoft which also happen to be located around here.

Right you are.

I have lived by this rule some time now. I own a couple of small business'. As a general rule, I try to buy from vendors in my city. If that is not possible, I try to stay in my county. I absolutely buy American. If it isn't made in America, I will custom make it myself. It costs a bit more money but I can't tell you the satisfaction I get from keeping my investments within our country.

I have an idea I think would be a very good investment. I don't have the time to do it myself, but I will put it out there. A website/store that only sells American (or whatever country you live in) made products.

The idea came from having to replace a worn out tv. I couldn't find an american made tv. Is one even made?

Anyways, along with buying from local vendor, I tend to make very nice local relationships as well. I try to barter as much as possible. I think it is a good idea to start learning an alternative method of payment. People might be suprised how often others are receptive to this as well.

Sorry so long but I thought it was a good topic.

reply to post by liquidsmoke206


We also benefit up here from having possibly the best open farmers' markets in the United States. I'm serious, I grew up in a farming community in New Mexico and the markets here in Western Washington put even the best markets down there to shame. Rather than selling the best of their crop to commercial wherehouses and trying to sell the barely palitable bruised, overripe, malformed produce to the "little guy" shopping at the market, the farmers up here bring the best of their harvest into the market and it really shows. Combine that with us having undoubtedly the best fresh seafood markets in America and we're truly blessed up here. Of all the regions of the US best alligned to survive this recession and come out of it in pretty good shape, I think the Pacific NW probably has the best shot.

I agree the rest of the country should take a lesson from the northwest....we rule.
Maybe we should just break off and form our own country, leave all these other loser states behind. They're really just slowin us down anyways. dead weight.

Cascadia anyone?