This post is a part of A Greener Christmas Guide, a series of posts dedicated to celebrating the holidays with a lighter impact on the earth.  For more of this series, please visit A Greener Christmas Guide.

Every year at this time, my hometown in the United States starts a huge campaign that urges citizens to BUY LOCAL with five exclamation points.  I’m not really sure what that means, and everyone in town seems to have a different idea.  So is it:

I shop at the local WalMart; I don’t drive to another city?

I am getting my stuff at locally owned and operated joints?  or

I buy things made right here from knitted crafts to vegetables?

I’m pretty sure the city’s reason to urge local shopping is the economic benefit of a few bucks, which is good.  They don’t really mention the green effects of shopping locally… which makes any of the above answers even better.

When you buy locally, you’re reducing vehicle emissions and your carbon footprint because it’s more efficient for huge semis and trains to transport our stuff than for all of us to drive 60 kilometers.  When the products you buy are made locally, you’re saving hundreds (probably thousands) of shipping miles.  Bonus points when the products you buy are actually grown and produced locally.

 

Buying Local Food

Unfortunately, you can’t find local products very easily in the grocery store.  I’m not really sure why.  Our family is puzzled and way too frustrated by the fact that our local chain grocery stores back in the US doesn’t sell tortillas made 30 miles away or ice cream made 90 minutes away.  Instead, their tortillas and ice cream come from factories over a thousand miles away.  Products that are shipped so far usually have more chemicals, additives, and preservatives, so they’re already not as eco-friendly as local foods before they even load the truck to start their journey.

Most of my neighbors have no idea that they can find the exact same food sources so close to home.  It’s like citizens of big beef-producing states don’t even get hamburgers from local cows.  Shop locally?

That’s one of the greatest benefit of organic and locally-owned grocery stores.  They’re more likely to carry these local items or be open to considering them.  Martin and I ask every US grocery store we shop at to consider local products.  Only two have responded – they are family businesses.

Want To Give Some Local Yummies This Holiday?

Give beers and wines made nearby: well this is the one local thing that might tap into chain stores, but check the little shops first.  They’ll either have it or tell you where to go.

Try bakery items made in town:  My hometown grocery store sold bread made 1,000 miles away.  The bakery down the street milled their own flour.

Offer meat grown and fish caught in your area:   We’ve turned to organic cafes, “health nuts”, and local markets for help on this one.

Give locally made candies and sweets.  Tourist shops and tourism centers are a good place to start looking.  Ask co-workers if they know of anyone – a lot of women make and sell holiday treats from their kitchens.

 

Finding Not-Made-In-China Stuff

The paintbrush I coated our house in yellow with was made in Germany.  So was our level, and I think the screws were, too.  Germany works hard to carry the “Made in Germany” logo.  But short of Nalgene water bottles and Maglites, we don’t see much “Made in USA” logos.  That’s why we started looking locally for our US holiday gifts.

Want some local ideas?

Support local artists and craftsmen.  They’re featured in local shops and attending art and craft fairs with paintings, pottery dishes, earrings, decorations, furniture, toys, instruments… You can even snag some holiday cards and get custom-made stuff.

Buy plants and flowers grown locally.  Check your nurseries and organic markets.

Call the Chamber of Commerce.  They’ll point you toward the best fly fishing shop, artist studio, and quilt shops.

Give the opportunity to learn something new.  (I’m a sucker for taking creative classes.  My attention is on German lessons right now, but if I were in the US…) Treat someone to a class at the local adult education center, art school, or museum.  There’s always the gym, a music center, or quilt shop.  My sister is teaching gingerbread house making next week at the craft shop if you’re interested!

Support the local performers and give theater and concert tickets.  There’s no better gift for someone who has everything than a night on the town.  

Buy passes to check out the local tourist stuff.  I neglect the touristy stuff in my own town.  I bet you do, too.  So chances are, that person you’re looking to give a gift to hasn’t done much of that stuff either.

Check the yellow pages for a tailor.  Clothes hemmed to fit are amazing.  Clothes made just for you?  Breathtaking!

 

Ready to Take the Local Challenge?

So instead of buying a poinsettia this year  consider thinking a little locally (any idea how many miles those things travel?  I have no idea  UPDATE: A local nursery two miles from my parents house grows its own poinsettias in green houses).  Buy local gifts and Mother Earth will thank you.  I’ll thank you.  And best of all?  the recipient will thank you.

Now spill it.  Any local gift ideas up your sleeves?  Won’t you leave us some ideas and spread some green holiday cheer?

(Images from SparksChamber and MySmallBusiness)