Shopping “Local” and Shopping “Locally”
Do you make a point of shopping locally? What about shopping local? While they might sound the same, there’s an important distinction. When we say “shop locally,” we are referring to the practice of buying from stores in our community, and when we say “shop local,” we are talking about buying from locally-owned small businesses.
Eat local, buy local, give local — the local movement is alive and well in central Virginia. One of Ellwood’s primary missions is to promote local goods and produce; to support local charities and nonprofits; and to make a difference in our community. Be sure to join us by supporting the many wonderful growers and producers in Virginia. Stop by a farmers market; adopt a pet from a local rescue organization. Help us support our community. Click here for a cool article we found in Forbes Magazine about supporting local business and why it is important.
Ellwood Thompson’s and Conscious Capitalism
At Ellwood Thompon’s (ET) we believe that what we do is beyond just making money. Our ET mission: To aspire to be the heart & soul of our community through a commitment to local and organic food, is what we focus on when making decisions. We are passionate about making a positive impact on the community and marketplace. At ET business means we are competing to make the world a better place through the service and products that we provide. A new ideology called “conscious capitalism” embraces some of our ideas.
Conscious capitalism is an emerging form of capitalism that holds the potential for enhancing corporate performance while simultaneously advancing the quality of life for our communities. This idea has become a movement that challenges business leaders to re-think why their organizations exist and to acknowledge their company’s role in the marketplace and community. The Richmond Times Dispatch featured a story this Sunday (January 22, 2012) that includes comments from companies that have said they embrace Conscious Capitalism, as well as comments from Rick Hood, the owner of Ellwood Thompson’s Local Market. Click here to read the article and learn more.
Bank or Credit Union?
With all the discussion about banks and credit unions we thought this video did a good job of discussing one side of the issue. Check it out and be sure to continue to do your own homework on where you would like to put your money!
The right to know what you are eating
In a story written by Gary Hirshberg (CE-Yo of Stonyfield Yogurt) and Eric Schlosser (author of “Fast Food Nation” and co-producer of the documentary “Food, Inc”) a recent poll found 93% of Americans think genetically engineered foods should be labeled. This month, 384,000 people signed a Just Label It petition urging the FDA to mandate genetically engineered food labeling nationally. The FDA justifies its refusal to label on an agency rule that requires labeling only if a food tastes or smells different or has a different nutritional value. The FDA should change that policy – or make an exception for genetically engineered foods, as it did for irradiated foods. Click here to read more.
A Question of Fairness
Critics accuse Fair Trade USA of watering down standards, perhaps motivated by the bigger fees to be earned from certifying a higher volume of products. Some sellers of fair trade products fear that small coffee farmers will lose market share to the big plantations and that companies will have an incentive to include only the minimum amount of fair trade ingredients in their products. Click here to read more.
Its’s National Bulk Foods Week!
The Bulk is Green Council (BIG) invites shoppers to celebrate the eco-friendly and affordable benefits of buying in bulk during National Bulk Foods Week, Oct. 16 to Oct. 22. BIG is a national organization dedicated to increasing awareness of the environmental and economic benefits of buying organic and natural foods in bulk. By shopping in bulk you can save money, help save the environment, and reduce waste. Stop by Ellwood Thompson’s Local Market this week and buy something in bulk. Click here to learn more about the benefits.
About Non-GMO Month
Non-GMO Month was created by the Non-GMO Project in 2010 as a platform for raising awareness on the GMO issue. Citizens and organizations across North America are waking up to the failure of GMO technology, and discovering the risks GMOs pose to our health, our families, and our planet. Non-GMO Month is an opportunity to coordinate our voices and our actions, so that we can stand up loudly and clearly for our right to know what’s in our food, and to choose Non-GMO. To stay current with what is happening with GMO technology check out this cool website with thousands of products verified as compliant with the Non-GMO Project standard, and the verification seal visible in stores in the US and Canada. Click here to visit.
Buy Fair Trade Products
Fair trade is a system of exchange that seeks to create greater equity and partnership in international trading. Every day the practice of Fair Trade improves the lives of farmers, artisans, producers and their families by increasing incomes, improving working conditions and promoting democratic principles in the workplace. Fair Trade consumers benefit from receiving high quality, unique goods and the knowledge that their responsible purchase has made a positive impact on our world. Click here to learn more about fair trade and how you can help.
October is Fair Trade Month
Fair Trade began modestly in the 1940s when a few small North American and European organizations reached out to poverty stricken communities to help them sell their crafts and coffee to well-off markets. Today, Fair Trade is a global effort. Fair Trade USA and the Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO) have extended their reach beyond crafts and coffee. Consumers can enliven developing countries, relieve exploitation and promote environmental sustainability by purchasing Fair Trade-labeled tea, cocoa, fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, sugar, honey, wine, flowers, grains and rubber products. Click here to learn more about Fair Trade and it’s products.
October is Non-GMO Month
Non-GMO Month was created by the Non-GMO Project in 2010 as a platform for raising awareness on the GMO issue. Citizens and organizations across North America are discovering the risk GMOs pose to our health, our families, and our planet.
Non-GMO Month is an opportunity to coordinate voices and actions, to make a unified stand for everyone’s right to know what’s in our food, and to choose non-GMO.
You might decide to celebrate Non-GMO Month by hosting a film screening in your living room and inviting the neighbors over, or maybe you’re ready to join in the historic Right2Know March from NYC to DC! Another way to get involved is to make a pledge to choose Non-GMO Project Verified foods. If you have another idea? Make it happen, and register your event here.