Many moons ago, back when rotary phones were still in every home, the Russians were still the enemy and MTV had yet to be born (gasp!), cosmetic companies still tested their wares on animals. Often, (skip this if you love bunnies), by squirting this or that chemical in the eyes of rabbits. Or worse. Much, much worse.
It was then that I learned an important lesson in environmental capitalism. My mother and her friends, were a few of the thousands, if not millions of women who stopped buying cosmetics tested on creatures, while writing to the offending companies and explaining why they had ceased patronage. Instead, they sought out “hippy” brands – and bought those. My mother explained that an American's most powerful vote was not FOR a President, but WITH Presidents. Green ones.
Fast forward more years than I’ll admit to.
We green mamas are a lucky tribe. Wonderful organic brands abound for us to fill our little ones' childhoods with – most just a click away, allowing working and stay-at-home mums to just await the verdant bounty that the postman brings.
But is that the way to ensure that our communities can continue to grow greenly?
Two weeks ago I received two emails from local green baby stores that I have been a customer of. The first thanked me for my patronage, but announced that it was closing. It was a small, charming shop run by wonderful concerned owners that knew the ins and outs of all of their products. To shop there felt like visiting a friend. But they simply could not compete with The Beast: Big Box prices.
The second, came from Be By Baby, another darling, local shop that, quite justifiably voiced its concern over this alarming trend of small, green mama owned businesses having absolutely no chance against the vile and evil Rubbish-Marts of the world. Without permission, I reprint that letter here:
“Shop Local
We thought it was finally time to speak out about an ever-widening and disconcerting trend we are seeing and speak out for all those who have lost their businesses. Last week, a small business owner friend of ours let us know that she is closing her doors for good. It broke her heart to have to let her staff go – good people who she worked with for years – but she could not compete against the big box stores and online giants.
We understand. We pride ourselves on our customer service here at Be By Baby! and the public knows this. So moms often come visit us to learn how to use a carrier, or to get information on cloth diapers, or to receive a bra fitting, only to tell us that, while they appreciate the time we’ve spent with them, they will be purchasing online to save money on sales tax. Yes, we realize that tax is steep here in Chicago and this is a tough economy for many families. But we, the local shops, don’t keep this money – this tax helps pay for the schools everyone complains so much about and well as local parks and redevelopment projects. And of the big box stores, few are headquartered here in Illinois, so most of their income is flowing out to benefit other states. But it goes farther. Illinois has now raised the income tax from 3 to 5%. Many consumers don’t seem to realize that the state is losing millions in revenue when consumers choose to buy online to avoid paying sales tax, so Illinois is trying to get back some of this revenue by raising the income tax. Consumers think they’re saving one way, but it comes back to bite them on the other end.
Our friend had, as so many of us do, cut her pricing to match the online only and big box retailers pricing even though she got no breaks for bulk purchases (like the retail giants) and the overhead to have a storefront is enormous compared to online only stores. We do the same here with our pricing. And while we here at Be By Baby! have no intention of closing our doors, we’ve seen far too many good businesses, like our friend’s, do so recently because even though they’ve matched prices, consumers use local stores as showrooms but then go and buy elsewhere. The mentality of so many consumers seems to be too short-sighted.
She, like us and so many local businesses, was also solicited at least 20 times per month by local moms to donate products or gift cards to local schools and organizations for annual fundraisers. And while she couldn’t donate to all, she did the best she could. It is the neighborhood businesses that support these local schools and organizations, so these same neighborhoods need to support the local businesses if they want them to continue to be able to do so. The big box stores that these neighbors do support do not, on the whole, have any interest in giving back to the local community. And just try and get an online giant to donate to your kid’s local school fundraiser.
We began to wonder what the world would be like when our children are adults – will there be any local boutiques and small retailers they can stop in and get to know, or will they live in a society where they drive to a couple of big box stores or do all their shopping from “the man”, online?
Will our kids ever get to know their local retailers or will all storefronts eventually house only restaurants, bars, clothiers and grocers? Thusly, will customer service become a thing of the past as big box stores point you in the direction of what you need (if you can find someone to help you) and then leave all of the research, education and assistance up to you.
We hope not. There’s a special quality about the makeup of a neighborhood with an assortment of ecletic shops. And there’s something very special and, well, neighborly in developing relationships with local shop owners, and giving them the opportunity to know you and your family. Local shop-owners live in and care about the community. You’re helping your own local economy by keeping your neighbors employed and keeping the income from wages, taxes and rent in your own community. And, more importantly, you’re ensuring that your kids get to know neighborliness in their adult world as you do.”
I commend Be By Baby for this thoughtful missive as it reminds all of us that try our best to raise greener, healthier families that it is THESE shop owners that have introduced us to and provided us with the tools to do so, long before Crap-Mart saw yet another psychographic segmentation opportunity. But YOU CAN make a difference! No one can survive without your vote. If you use those BPA covered Presidents locally, you can starve The Great Beast – and nourish the soul of your community, like you do your children.
Note: You couldn’t find cosmetics tested on animals today if you tried. Fearless women made it so. And more than the bunnies are grateful.
-"The Green Stork" Claire Douglass is a first time Chicago mom, concerned with ever increasing data connecting childhood health issues from asthma to autism to exposure to common household toxins, chemicals and air quality – seeks to detoxify her nest, and create as green a nursery and playroom as possible.Without driving herself, or her husband, crazy. The former is going far better than the latter.
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