Food for Thought: The 3/50 Project

I think we're all spending more time lately thinking about the things that we can do to make a positive impact on the world around us. For me, small, simple, and doable is key -- I'm not a crusader, an organizer, or even much of a joiner. But I have been trying to be more mindful about how the decisions I make on a daily basis impact my community, whether it's the immediate one around me or the larger global community we all share.

I've been distressed to see so many of the small businesses in my area hurting, and several actually closing their doors in recent months. So the 3/50 Project is something that I can feel good about committing to (and that doesn't necessarily cost me anything extra, in terms of my budget or my time). This grassroots campaign aims to support independent brick-and-mortars by raising awareness about the importance of shopping locally and by reminding consumers that more than two-thirds of the money spent at local businesses is funneled right back into their community.

For my family, this means alternating between the big chain supermarket where we pick up our staples and the smaller, mom-and-pop grocery store where we get our produce, health-food items, and gourmet goodies from small, local suppliers (and where the food is better, anyway). It means eating at locally owned and -run restaurants instead of chains (ditto). It means hitting one of our area farmers' markets at least once a month (I'm not much of a cook, but I'm always inspired to make something healthy and tasty with the fresh, organic ingredients we get there). It means catching a flick at our historic hometown theater instead of at the big mall multiplex (somehow, the films are better when viewed in a grand 1920s movie palace). And it means shopping for that Mother's Day gift, household necessity, or occasional treat for myself at one of the many wonderful indie boutiques here in Oakland (and where I'm more likely to find something really unique). Plus, since most of these businesses in turn support homegrown producers, artists, craftspeople, and others, we're essentially getting twice the local bang for our buck.

These are all things we're already doing, of course, albeit in a rather grab-as-grab-can way. But after reading up on the 3/50 Project, I'm inspired to make a commitment to my local economy in a more planned and thoughtful way. So Farmer Joe's, Bakesale Betty, Grand Lake Farmers Market, Grand Lake Theater, Mignonne, Atomic Garden, Urban Indigo, Scout, et al., here I come. Because if any of you went away, my world would get a little dimmer.

(If you live elsewhere -- and I know most of you do -- check out my "Shopping" links in the right-hand column: Arranged by locale, they consist almost entirely of independent home shops and art galleries from the Bay Area to Brooklyn, and even across the pond to the U.K.)

Find out more about the 3/50 Project right here.

Cool Tool: Etsy's "Shop Local"

Etsy rolled out its new Shop Local tool right before the holidays -- when, presumably, we were all scrambling for last-minute gifts that we could actually pick up in person instead of waiting for the overloaded and backlogged mail service to deliver them.

It's a great idea: Not only can you discover and support the talent right in your own backyard, but you may also be able to save on shipping charges and prevent all that packing material from ending up in landfills.

When I gave Shop Local a test drive recently, I was delighted to discover more than 100 Etsy sellers in Oakland alone, offering more than a thousand items -- including this sweet Basement Mice collage print, $18, by RISD alum Karen Ondracek.

By expanding my search parameters a bit to include neighboring Berkeley, up popped this pretty letterpress calendar ($30) from ©&@.

San Francisco? Why, it's blogger sfgirlbybay's custom-colored Keep Calm and Carry On posters ($25 each).

But here's the thing: You can also use the tool to browse wares from vendors who are decidedly not local.

Say you're into Scandinavian design. Simply type in "Sweden" (or "Finland," or "Denmark") and see what turns up:

Ms. Ursula Buttcrack Character ($56), from Gothenburg's Smosch

Now let's try the Netherlands:

Handfelted Pebbles ($24 for eight), from Geleen's Reya Veltman

Italy: I'd Rather Be Happy With You Again print ($13), by The Good Machinery

Argentina: Patterned Birds print ($15), by Pequinio Craft

South Africa: Pink Stamens blockprinted fabric ($20 for about a yard), by Cape Town's jezze

Japan: Sakura Woman ACEO, $10 from Gallery Juana

Australia: Hey Little Birdy print ($12), by Perth's Little Red Bicycle

See how fun (and potentially addictive) it is?

My only complaint -- and I have a similar quibble with Etsy's Shop by Color tool and general search form -- is that you can't further narrow the results by category or keyword. So if I'm looking for local ceramists, it'd be nice not to have to wade through all the jewelry designers who are based in my neck of the woods. (Are you listening, Etsy wizards?)

But still, it's a really nifty little feature. Give Shop Local a whirl -- whether to keep it local or to drastically expand your shopping horizons -- right here.