Posted by Scott Stadum.

I’ve been a fan of the “buy local” movement for as long as I can remember and really love ideas like Carrot Mobs and San Francisco’s My Farm. So naturally I was excited to read about The 3/50 Project.

What is it?

The project asks you to pick 3 independent stores in your community that you would miss if they went out of business. Stop in, say hello and purchase a few things. According to the project’s site, “if half the employed population spent $50 each month in locally owned independent businesses, it would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue.”

That’s great, but here’s the kicker: “For every $100 spent in locally owned independent stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll, and other expenditures.”

Here’s a thought — let’s combine Carrot Mobs and the 3/50 Project to buy local and promote social and environmental responsibility!
[This blog entry appeared on an older version of Idealist; any broken links are a result of having re-launched our site in Fall 2010.]