I love a good idea.

Maybe not as much as I love good chocolate, but that’s temporary.  Or so I tell myself.

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For those of you saying “remember the Compact?  We don’t buy new stuff”.  I say, do you eat out?  Do you shop at a local thrift store?  Do you buy handmade products from artists in your community?  Do you get your shoes repaired or your clothes dry cleaned?

When Cinda Baxter first dreamed up the 3/50 Project I imagine she wasn’t considering people who had put Compact style buying restrictions on their lives.  This shouldn’t stop you from participating.  I don’t believe the Compact was begun to say “don’t spend money”.  It’s about being considerate of how much money you spend and what that spending in turn means to the environment.

And if you’re not a Compacter, just think of all the establishments you could be saving.  As Cinda said:

It’s about funneling revenue back into local business. You know-—the folks that pour money back into the community via commercial property taxes, payroll taxes, sales tax, and salaries (not to mention all that good will by way of volunteer time, silent auctions, sponsored softball teams, workshops, book signings, etc.).

Many people who are community minded, or live in a small town, may take an idea like this for granted.  But for those in the big city, and especially those who are used to shopping by convenience, it’s a great reminder that who we choose to patronize has bigger implications than what we walk out the door with.  (Even if it’s just a full belly.)

Even if you don’t shop or eat out often why not do it at independent, local places?