MORE PEOPLE SHOP LOCAL: A three-year-old campaign to encourage people in northwest Washington state to "Think Local First" is having a dramatic effect on spending behavior, according to a recent survey. Applied Research Northwest found that 69% of respondents in Whatcom County (Bellingham) are familiar with the Think Local First campaign and 58% are making a more deliberate effort to patronize locally owned businesses than they did before the campaign started three years ago. They survey also found that 86% of respondents are spending the same or more money at locally owned businesses than they did before the campaign. Only 12% reported spending less. The Think Local First campaign was created by Sustainable Connections, a nonprofit membership organization of 535 businesses in the city of Bellingham and surrounding Whatcom County dedicated to building an economy based on sustainable business practices. See http://www.newrules.org.
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'Buy Local' Campaigns Changing Consumer Behavior
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The Progressive Populist, January 1-15, 2007
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