ItsGreenerHere.com is the product of more than three years of research surrounding localization, especially local consumer habits and local businesses. The research and development was performed by local business owner who has been running businesses in Ukiah since 1998.
ItsGreenerHere.com is a Not-For-Profit organization with the goal of promoting the local economy and building a stronger community through collaboration and by making it easy and convenient to buy from local stores.
Another driving factor behind ItsGreenerHere.com is the desire to level the playing field between the small local business and the massive chain store, especially in the area of marketing and local market share. Vote local with your consumer dollars!
About the Name
ItsGreenerHere.com may sound like a simple name and its meaning may be plain to you, but the real reason(s) may surprise you!
- Economic
The more money that stays in the local area, the greener the economy becomes (because the money spent stays in the community). ItsGreenerHere.com is also compatible with other forms of economic trade including Time Banking and bartering. - Counter-Cliche
"The grass is greener on the other side of the fence" is no longer true because the local consumer can order their products online and have them delivered to their door in hours, not days. In addition, local merchants and service providers will continue to provide more selection as their volume increases due to the additional local purchases. - Environmental
Because the products aren't shipped to you from various locations around the continent (or world), fuel utilization is decreased resulting in lower carbon emissions. In addition, the energy embodied in the creation of products that are poorly designed and manufactured and the landfill space required to dispose of those products will be less impacted by the increased quality of products purchased at locally-owned outlets due to the accountability of local trade.
Why Buy & Eat Local?
It Makes a Difference!
- Promote a Local Economy
Spent locally, our dollars recirculate in our communities. Buying direct from local suppliers generates 300% more money for the local economy than purchasing at non-local chain stores. Source (pg. 3) - Keep and Create Jobs
Local businesses produce more income, jobs, and tax receipts for local communities than big box stores do. - Enjoy Reciprocal Benefits
Local businesses are more likely to utilize local ads, banks and other services. - Support Philanthropy
Local businesses donate more money to nonprofits and are more accountable to their local communities. - Promote Local Character
Supporting local businesses preserves the economic diversity of our communities and the unique character of our neighborhoods. - Reduce Environmental Impact
Supporting local businesses is good for the environment, because it cuts down on fuel consumption and encourages higher-quality products (eg. less waste). Buying local goods reduces the need to ship products from thousands of miles away and also cuts down on the distances shoppers travel.
It's About Accountability
In the 1800's and into the 1900's, most trade was performed on a local level. Because of this, merchants who provided good products and services were well-esteemed in their communities, and those who performed poorly were run out of town.
Unfortunately, chain stores today have nearly made the local merchant extinct. This has led to a degradation in quality in both products and services as the consumer's only point-of-contact is typically a low-paid worker who is not accountable for the products and services provided, and generally only has the option of accepting the poorly engineered and manufactured product back for exchange. The natural result of this is a future where bottom-line price and perceived convenience is paramount over quality, usability, and the environment. Items that break just after the warranty expires or that are designed to be non-repairable typically end up in already overcrowded landfills, and the raw materials and energy used to create those products are generally not reclaimable.
About the Technology
When we say "local", we mean "LOCAL!" ItsGreenerHere.com runs entirely on Rebol, a home-grown (and incredibly powerful) scripting language developed right here in the Ukiah valley by long-time resident Carl Sassenrath!
The database is powered by MySQL, a free and open-source database. Unfortunately, to our knowledge no full-featured database package has been developed in the Ukiah Valley, so open source is the next best thing.
