*To better recognize, use and support the already amazing sustainable minded community that exists;
*To prevent that community from being replaced by externally controlled corporate and political organizations; and
*To allow a means for it to evolve into a dominate cultural force that will increasingly better meet the needs of all in its community.
The concept for LocalSustainability.Com is for the most part based on the following principles identified by Michael H. Shuman in his book, The Small-Mart Revolution (Open His Check List):
*The key to community prosperity is a vigorous network of locally owned businesses serving primarily local markets—the exact opposite of what most economic developers push.
*Despite all the popular discussion of globalization, worldwide trends (like rising oil prices) are making small, local businesses increasingly competitive.
*Jaw-dropping innovations in small business, whether for-profit or nonprofit, can be found everywhere, and provide compelling blueprints for localization.
*The principal obstacles standing in the way of localization are public policies (like business-attraction “incentives”) that are uniformly tilted against small business.
*Localization can and should appeal to right and left alike, by combining conservatives’ passion for free markets, small business, and small government with progressives’ passion for community empowerment, sustainability, and real democracy.
LocalSustainability.Com simply provides a free, common, public space for ALL to find, buy, use, discuss, create and share all things local.
Here are the other specific goals so far. As more people in the community participate the goals will evolve to reflect that resulting synergy.
Other Goals
*Support an already local minded community culture by providing ways to find those people, initiatives, business and programs.
*Make use of a common web space to find one another, share insights and collaborate on solutions to local needs.
*To provide and encourage local and sustainable minded people a way to connect and support each other's efforts and develop synergistic outcomes.
*Provide resources to help educate one another on the benefits of going local.
*Create a flexible web based community model that is free and easy to use, maintain, change and evolve into an unlimited web of community connections, and can easily be replicated by other communities for little to no money and by people with little to no web page building skills.
*Develop an ever growing number of community "authors" who will develop and maintain the LocalSustainability.Com pages. (*Developed for the community by the community for the community)
*Avoid the inclusion of any nonlocal advertisements.
*Provide opportunities for free listings of all independent, locally owned businesses, local nonprofits and apolitical/nonpartisan groups or individuals.
*Provide opportunities for free expression of all apolitical & nonpartisan views concerning the sustainability of our community and larger world.
*To provide a common community space that is as free from direct corporate, political, and government control and influences as possible.
*Provide a flexible model that can change as needed and replicated by other communities with ease.
[The following are from other sources - included for consideration: *Support local entrepreneurs, sustain family farms, create local jobs, have greater control over environmental impacts, increase sales and tax receipts to finance schools, hospitals, police, arts, transportation, and open spaces, maintain a unique community character, maximize the economic multiplier.*Encourage the development of a vibrant, sustainable economy by promoting local business ownership, social equity, and environmental kinship through education, support and collaboration.
*Encourage continuous learning: To be stewards of our region and in turn, to be supportive of our local, independently owned businesses, To enhance the livability of our community and the stability and diversity of the local economy, To increase the retention and expansion of independent, locally owned businesses through increasing awareness about the personal, community, and economic benefits of choosing local first
*To help re-circulate more dollars in our community to promote a strong local economy, support and strengthen locally owned, independent businesses and create and maintain local jobs, preserve and enhance our unique neighborhoods and sense of place, and contribute to what will keep our home place alive and special in the long-run]
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