Ecocentricity Blog: Buy Local, Except When You Shouldn’t

I don’t drink lemonade. I like it, don’t get me wrong. I mean, who doesn’t? And it’s not as though I lack access to the stuff. Heck, I live in Atlanta, meaning Chick-fil-A lemonade (some of the best) is never more than a 20-minute drive away, no matter where I am. Rather, I don’t drink it because I try to avoid sugar-based drinks for health reasons.

There’s an exception though. I will drink lemonade if a kid on my street is selling it in his or her front yard. To me, no economic venture is more deserving of support than the neighborhood lemonade stand. It might be more American than apple pie, and it’s the pinnacle of supporting your local small business (even if the lemons come from California and the sugar from Florida).   Buying local is a principle that my wife and I try to support. For one, buying local minimizes the carbon emissions associated with the transport of the product you want. Further, it can keep dollars concentrated in your local community, improving the standard of living of your area.   Read more.