Adventures In The Local Economy

Ideas for supporting the local economy

Lots of folks 'round these parts are very excited about BALLE, the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies. I think the group does some good stuff, but it seems a little cookie-cutter to me. And BALLE's kissing cousin, Michael Shuman, appears to be an ideologue whose ideas would be incredibly hard to implement in the real world.

Still, both BALLE and Shuman have some good ideas worth considering and BALLE, in particular, is a fine aggregator of information on the value of local living economies. Here are some items from the latest BALLE newsletter (with a tip of the hat to Dan Coleman for doing the digesting for me):

1) Van Jones' new book has a 10-page "policy ideas" section on green collar jobs.
2) 80 indie weeklies are participating in a spend $100 locally for the holidays promotion.
3) Michael Shuman wrote an article on local investment mechanisms.
4) A proposed Agenda for a New Economy.
5) The City of Denver proclaims Buy Local Week.
6) Elfster has a "Secret Santa" website supporting local businesses.

What do you think?

EVENT: How to Make Money and Save the World

Gary Hirshberg, CE-Yo of Stonyfield Farm

“Stirring it Up: How to Make Money and Save the World”

 

November 11, 2008 7:30 pm

Gerrard Hall on the UNC Campus

 

Free and open to the public. General admission seating. Book signing following lecture.

Award-winning social entrepreneur Gary Hirshberg proposes ways companies can help save the planet while achieving greater profits and consumers can use the power of conscious consumption to encourage green corporate behavior. Honored for corporate and environmental leadership, Hirshberg draws on his own experience building the world’s leading organic yogurt business while incorporating environmental principles and practices.

 

Gary Hirshberg’s lecture is presented as part of the 2008-2009 Hillard Gold ’39 Lecture series and is sponsored by the James M. Johnston Center for Undergraduate Excellence, the Carolina Entrepreneurial Initiative and the Center for Sustainable Enterprise.

What a great idea: Jack London Market

Oakland, Cali., gets a lot of knocks, but it's one of my favorite American cities. I've seen so many good shows at Yoshi's and had so many good meals in O-Town that I just can't not dig it. I'm having a blast this week revisiting (though not in person) this great town for an article I'm writing on transit-oriented development for Architect magazine. Oakland, it turns out, is a hot-bed of this kind of development. Who knew?

But there's another kind of development going on in Oakland that resonates with me and the local economy: Jack London Market. Here's an excerpt from a larger article in the New York Times:

In Jack London Market, named for the writer and Oakland native, the principals of Ellis Partners have set out to combine the waterfront location with the Bay Area’s love of California cuisine.

According to the company’s plans, the project will feature two levels and have 70,000 square feet reserved for sellers of locally grown and specialty foods. The upper floors will house offices and nine restaurants, featuring menu items made from foods that have been organically grown and locally produced.

James F. Ellis manages the development company, one of Northern California’s largest, in partnership with his father, Harold A. Ellis Jr., and his sister, Melinda Ellis Evers. He said that Jack London Market is intended to provide the same kind of economic focal point for Oakland and the East Bay region as Pike Place Market in Seattle, the market at Fanueil Hall in Boston, and the Ferry Building market on the other side of San Francisco Bay.

Jack London Market is meant to become the next chapter in a distinctive narrative of fresh, organic and healthy food that this region of California has been writing for decades.

“Focusing on local food just fits the demographic here in Oakland and the Bay Area,” Mr. Ellis said. “These are young professionals, single or married without children, who are staying in the city and have the kind of disposable income that gets them out to eat good, fresh food.”

After the market opens, perhaps as early as the fall of 2009, Ellis Partners is planning to start a 250-room hotel and two 140,000-square-foot office buildings.

What a totally cool idea. While I love the open-air of our local market, the idea of a Pike Place-like facility does have some appeal to me. And it would really establish Carrboro's commitment to being a foodie haven. Would local farmers dig it? And what about consumers? What do you think?

The case for a local pharmacy

We are blessed to have a fantastic full-service independent pharmacy here in town -- the Carrboro Community Pharmacy. We appreciate the thoughtful service and helpful advice we get from Ben and his team. We can't imagine going to another pharmacy!

Some towns are just as lucky. Others were, but saw their local druggist bought out by one of the bigs. Case in point: this cautionary tale from CommonDreams.org.

Read and learn.

EVENT: Cultivating Sustainable Business

Looking for an excuse to head to Portland, home of Voodoo Doughnuts, Apizza Scholls and Oba? Or just want to study up on how Carrboro can be more sustainable by looking at one of the most sustainable cities in America? (PDX has an Office of Sustainable Development as part of its city government How cool is that?!) Check out this conference:

GoGreen ’08~ An All-Day Conference Cultivating Sustainable Business

Social Enterprises, Inc. is pleased to announce that Sam Adams, Mayor-Elect of Portland, will keynote
GoGreen ‘08, an all-day conference designed to motivate, inspire, and educate business owners of all
stripes to “go green” and become more sustainable.

The only conference of its kind, GoGreen ‘08 teaches tactical steps on how to “green” your business and
builds sustainability enlightenment amongst business owners. Attendees will participate in panel
discussions geared to provide solid takeaways and next steps to make any size of business
sustainable. Conference topics include a showcase of Portland’s Best Sustainable Businesses featuring Best Business Award Winners, Green Marketing and Branding, Green Incentives Available to your Business and How to Win Media Coverage with Your Sustainability Initiatives. Event Sponsors include Metro (Recycle at Work and Drive Less, Save More), City of Portland’s Office of Sustainable Development, Portland Development Commission, Portland Tribune, Travel Portland and Sustainable Industries.

The GoGreen ‘08 mission is to bring the business community together to inspire and educate about the importance of sustainability in business while offering concrete next steps to make these new initiatives a reality.

Featured experts include Susan Anderson/City of Portland’s Office of Sustainable Development, Lisa
Sedlar/New Seasons Market, Justin Yuen/FYMI, Grace Pae/Artemis Foods, Derek Smith/YOLO Colorhouse, Greg Stiles/Energy Trust, Brian Back/Sustainable Industries, Renee Spears/Rose City Mortgage, Mitch Rofsky/Better World, Erik Weeman/Weiden & Kennedy, Richard Satnick/Laughing Planet, Kim Hughes/Zero Waste Alliance, Bill Scott/Zipcar, Heidi Eggert/Bonneville Environmental Foundation, Thor Hinckley/PGE, Mary Edmeades/Albina Community Bank, Julie Gulla/Angel Oregon, Nik Blosser/Celilo Group and Craig Thames/The Corragio Group– to name just a few.

GoGreen ’08 is an all-day sustainability conference that takes place in Portland on Wednesday, October
1st from 8:30am-4:00pm at the Gerding Theater @ The Armory in Portland’s Pearl District. Full-
Day Registration is $150, $125 if you purchase two or more. Save $25 if you purchase tickets before
September 1st ($125 full day, $100 two or more). Please visit www.gogreenpdx.com for event
information and to purchase tickets online.

Press Contact: Ericka Dickey/events@gogreenpdx.com/503.969.7852
                                                          

   

EVENT: Aligning Corporate Responsibility and Brand

UNC's Center for Sustainable Enterprise presents:

Just Good Business: Aligning Corporate Responsibility and Brand

 Thursday, September 11

5:30-7P

Koury Auditorium, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School

Kellie McElhaney is the John C. Whitehead Faculty Fellow of Corporate Responsibility and Executive Director of the Center for Responsible Business at the University of California's Haas School of Business.

A leading scholar and consultant to Fortune 500 businesses on corporate social responsibility (CSR), Dr. McElhaney will discuss how CSR can help companies build customer and employee loyalty, and stand out in a crowded marketplace, when aligned with a company's overall corporate strategy, business objectives, and core competencies.

This event is free and open to the public. Free parking will be available in the business deck. To attend, please RSVP to: cse@unc.edu