Local Money
Increasing local wealth and self-sufficiency are key components of sustainability.
Below is a form to help you track your spending by amount, category and location of purchase.
Personal Purchasing Power Tracking Sheet – Microsoft Excel version
Personal Purchasing Power Tracking Sheet – Open Office Version
Please watch these videos to understand how voting with your money, spending it at locally owned businesses, helps us all.
Key findings from Study of Local Economics
Every $100 spent with a local firm leaves $68 in the Chicago economy; $100 spent at a chain store leaves $43 in Chicago.
For every square foot occupied by a local firm, the local economic impact is $179, versus $105 for a chain store.
Video about the economics of local farms by Sarah Pedinotti and her band.
Farmony (Harvest Fest trailer) from DreamBig Media Group on Vimeo.
Links to Local Buying and Production initiatives
BALLE Statistics on benefits of Buying Local
Studies on Local First Campaigns
Capital District Local First
Eco Local Living Magazine
David Hess Book Localist Movements in a global economy
David Hess at MIT