Making the transition to local, organic, sustainable, happy, etc. food, clothing, and entertainment options can be fairly overwhelming. Do you buy the local, the organic, the free-range, the used? How do you evaluate which to buy, and when it's worth the price difference? This is one of the reasons I'm such a big fan of the Chinook Book (and no, I'm not being compensated in any way for saying that, other than the value of the coupons in the book I purchased for myself). Available in Minneapolis & St. Paul, Portland, the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, Seattle & Puget Sound, Willamette Valley, OR, and Denver & Boulder, the Chinook Book is a coupon book focused on sustainable local businesses.
It has 7 categories:
* Grocery Products
* Dining
* Entertainment & Family
* Wellness
* Fashion & Gifts
* Travel & Recreation
* Home & Garden
Each of the categories has its own criteria for inclusion, which are detailed in the book, but I like that choosing each business means that at least some minimal criteria has been met for sustainability and locality. Since I am trying to support both, I try to tailor my dinners out, activities, and business choices to the featured businesses if I can. I find that I usually save the $20 purchase price within a month or two, and have 10 months where any savings are a bonus. It's a great way to find good new restaurants, and to motivate me to use some of the theaters, museums, and outdoor attractions in my area.
If you're looking for an easy way to tweak your spending in a more sustainable, local direction, this might be it. What are the easy steps you take to live a more sustainable, local life?
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