Buy Local, Grow Localis an online directory devoted to sustainable and/or socially responsible businesses and organizations. Due to climate change and political instability this directory will facilitate resilience for the Capital Region. This includes keeping our money circulating and benefiting the region. The directory covers the greater Capital Region.
TheBuy Local, Grow Local concept grew out of the Covid-19 pandemic in that we became aware of how fragile our local economy is with its just-in-time global supply line. According to the EPAclimate disasters reducing food production have increased. Finally, this is the place that many of our localbusinesses who are sustainable or socially responsible can be showcased so all may follow in their footsteps.
The People
Buy Local, Grow Localis an outgrowth of PAUSE, People of Albany United for Safe Energy. The 6-member founderswere Tina Lieberman (Albany) is co-founder of Zero Waste Capital District. Diana Wright (Albany) owns FoodScraps 360, a residential compost pick-up service and is a bee-keeper. Sandy Steubing (Albany) co-founder of People of Albany United for Safe Energy (PAUSE) and Manager of this site, Francis Magai (Troy) is a local farmer and studies environmental science at HVCC, Matt Oill (Schenectady) works with multiple environmental and social justice groups in the Capital Region,
All businesses listed in our website are either Sustainable or Socially Responsible.
The criteria are listed below.
Sustainability Criteria for non-food businesses
BuyLocal, Grow Local considers a business or organization as sustainable if itmeets TWO of the following criteria:
1)Supplies environmentally friendly productsor services that replaces demand for non-green products and/or services.
2)Attempts to source materialsregionally.
3)Can show that their business practices aregreener than traditional competition. For example is your facility run on renewable energy? Do you use hybrid or EV's in your business operations? Do you recycle your ink cartridges?
5)The nature of the business is to promote thecontinued use of a product rather than throwing it away in favor of buying new.
Food Criteria: e.g. Restaurants, Cafe's, Pubs, Caterers
BuyLocal, Grow Local considers a restaurant or grocery as sustainable if it does not use polystyrene (styrofoam) plus meets TWO of the following criteria.
1) Does not use plastic straws, cutlery, or single use plastic bags.
2) A portion of the food/drink is locally grown or sourced. Some organic food/drinks are available.