“Economics, Environment, and Equity are a Year Round Proposition”
When it comes to sustainability, we often think only of the environmental impacts of our lives. But of course, there are many more components to it than that. A truly sustainable lifestyle must have positive impacts on people, the planet, and profits. We have to account for our impacts on our fellow citizens, as well as on the entire planet. And, as much as we would love to think only about the first two, we must also remember the economic component of the system. People, for the most part, will not make major changes to their lifestyle without some economic incentive.
As we increasingly choose to spend our money locally, it is important that we do that at all times of the year. All too many of us get in the habit of “buying local” only in the spring, summer, and during vacation. We leave home, go out to locally owned restaurants, shop at nifty little stores, maybe buy ice cream at the cute little shop on the corner. But once vacation is over, we return to spending money at large chain stores, and forget about the small businesses that are down the street from us. Or, how many of us love to buy produce at our local farmers’ market, but don’t make any effort to eat local produce the rest of the year.
Many farmers’ markets are beginning to run later into the year, selling crops that ripen in the fall. Some local farms and local producers can or dry produce to sell during off-season. These locally made canned goods can sometimes be found at grocery stores. Of course, the most resourceful of us will can the produce we bought at the farmers’ market in June, to enjoy in January.
This buying local approach is far too often a seasonal proposition for us. As I previously brought up a vacation scenario, let us discuss outdoor recreational businesses. It’s great to visit local recreational hot spots all year round… Hiking in the snow provides a completely different perspective of the trails you may normally hike in the summer. And don’t forget about cross country skiing and other winter recreational sports. The same little restaurant or café that you visited on your bike ride or rafting trip can be patronized all year round, maybe after a fall hike or a day full of winter activities. Winter offers as many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors and enjoy our local businesses as the rest of the seasons, so let’s enjoy it all!
Jeff Malik is project leader of the SCA River Town Outreach Corps, an organization focusing on sustainable economic development in the towns along the Monongahela River supported by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council and the Student Conservation Association. Contact him at jmalik@thesca.org.