No. 17 // Shop Local...But When You Can't...

The way we garden is similar to the way we shop - we prefer to keep it local, supporting the ecosystems and economies that make our community authentically unique. We are lucky to live in a place that boasts many wonderful independent shops which help to create the spirit and the heartbeat of our town.

Now, more than ever, it’s so critically important to support these small businesses who are being so deeply affected by the affects of Covid-19. Curbside pickups, call-ahead orders, and local delivery have all been part of our ‘shop small’ repertoire over the past few months. But the truth is, we can’t always shop the way we’d like. Sometimes, more often these days, we need to shop online for the essentials.

There is much to say about Amazon and I could write many blog posts about why not to shop on Amazon (many other people have already done this). But many of us do use Amazon (yes, me included) and I’ve discovered a way to feel better about my Amazon purchases; AmazonSmile.

For every purchase you make on AmazonSmile, .5% goes to a charity of your choosing and as of June 2020, charities have collectively received $183,120,221.33 through these purchases. Not bad.

You can choose from over 1 million 501(c)(3) public charitable foundations and we’ve chosen to support Beyond Pesticides for the important work they do bringing light to the hazards of toxic pesticides while providing information on safe alternatives.

We do the best we can and this is just about the easiest thing we can do to maximize the good of our online purchases. And with that, I’m heading off to my local outdoor plant store for a little local plant retail therapy. //