Happy New Year - Now let's begin!

"There are years that ask questions and years that answer." - Zora Neale Hurston

So, last night over drinks and Deadwood Revival, D. brought up a lofty goal - to attempt to buy everything we need this year locally. That means avoiding all chain stores that are not peninsula-owned and operated! Yowsa! Now, there are no promises on that one - other than we'll make our best attempt, and share along the way. We are pretty sure we can avoid places like Home Depot and Walmart (ech!)...not so sure about Safeway and Costco (especially with a budget), but we will try. The idea is to support local business as much as possible and to really stay away from corporations we feel don't take care of their employees. Now Costco and Safeway do a decent job of that, but we know we can get most of our food at Sunny Farms grocery (including greenhouse needs), and there are several local stores that sell tools and household maintenance items. Also, there is a natural grocery called Good to Go that orders in bulk items like rice. And we think we can get our pet food at the Co-op in Sequim (we'll see how the prices compare with Costco).

The one thing I know I cannot give up at Costco is diapers (I know, I know...horrible for the environment, but we are just beginning the road to potty training, so we should be off of them soon). This should also hold back the impulse buying that can occur - if we are heading in for that one item, we should be able to get out without buying a ton of crap we don't need, like cheap CD's or toys (don't ya just love how they bombard you with 50 inch flat screen TV's when you walk in the door - nothing like making you literally feel small). Every time I go in there, I am reminded of the movie Wall-E.

This will also mean that our stationary/paper needs will come from Olympic Stationery, clothing from local shops instead of JCPenney or Maurices - I found a great place next to Sunny Farms with excellent prices and age-appropriate career and casual clothing (Paisley Boutique). They're having a half-off sale this coming week, so I may stop by. Haven't found a place with men's clothing yet, but maybe there is something in Port Townsend. And there is a pretty good children's clothing store in Sequim; I think it's called Dungeness Children's Co.

So, even living in a small town, this really shouldn't be that hard. Of course, we won't be able to buy local when we're not at home, but I assume that goes without saying. We don't travel much anyway, what with work and being "financially challenged".

As for that one little change? Who needs one today, when the change is a complete mind-set overhaul about buying and consumerism? What I had planned to put as my New Year's resolution was to boycott Walmart - but this is SO MUCH BIGGER...and better. Thanks, D.

So let's raise our cups of coffee and toast to 2010 (how long is going to take me to start writing that on documents?)!