Buy Wisely in Wolfeboro

During the Fall of 2006, G.A.L.A. was chosen by New American Dream as one of six organizations in the country to receive a mini-grant to create a "Buy Wisely Locally Guide." The goal of this guide would be to help consumers and businesses make informed choices about the products and/or services they buy or provide. The premise was that because every consumer decision we make has some impact on people and the planet, our goal should be to make that impact more positive.

The first phase of the project was to perform a scavenger hunt of all the local ways to reduce and reuse. This phase resulted in a directory of local repair shops, thrift stores, salvage services, and other creative recycling opportunities.

The second phase of the Buy Wisely Locally project was to survey local businesses based how they "Save Some," "Go Green," and "Look Local." New American Dream provided different surveys for different types of businesses including, Arts & Entertainment, Banks & Investment Firms, Bike & Sporting Shops, Bookstores, Clothing & Footwear, Coffee Shops, Electronics, Grocery Stores, Hardware & Home Improvement, Office Supplies, and Restaurants and Cafes. G.A.L.A. volunteers spent many hours distributing and collecting surveys for over 100 Wolfeboro-based businesses.

The third phase of this project was the printing and distribution of the Buy Wisely Locally Guide. The Buy Wisely Locally Guide is available free of charge at all participating businesses including: (yet to be established). In addition, you can download the guide in a pdf. format by clicking the link below.

The fourth and final phase of this project is for volunteers to return to all the businesses that did not make it in the first issue of the guide and offer advice on how those businesses can increase their chances of being included in the next publication.

The Buy Wisely Locally project will help businesses become more attractive to the growing number of consumers who are aligning their social and environmental values with their purchasing decisions. The guise also rewards those businesses that are already taking steps to make their impact on people and the planet more positive by offering this free advertising.

The "Wolfeboro 2007 Buy Wisely Locally Guide" can be downloaded here.Wolfeboro Buy Wisely Locally Guide

Visit the Buy Wise Buy Local Forumto discuss the Buy Wisley Locally Project with fellow community members.

To find out more about New American Dream, visit www.newdream.org