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Sustainability is the goal of alum's 'guide to local living'
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| Jonathan Greene |
Involved in environmental issues since he was a child growing up in the San Juan Islands in northwest Washington state, where he helped his community-activist mother with beach clean-ups and recycling programs, Greene was active in the Environmental Action Club all four years he was at Skidmore. He regards his launch of The Saratoga Local Living Guide–which is for sale in the Skidmore Shop as well as a dozen other locations around town–as both an "entrepreneurial venture" and a community-building effort.
"I certainly didn't invent the coupon book or the spin I have chosen to take, but I strive to make this model work for Saratoga, helping to 'relocalize' our focus, and, in the process move us toward greater economic and environmental sustainability," he says.
Offering
more than $2,000 in discounts for just $10, The
Saratoga Local Living Guide "provides a new perspective on our business
community and a win-win proposition to business owners and residents alike,"
says Greene. "The model is a results-oriented, affordable and effective
marketing tool for small local businesses. Even a two percent redemption rate
will generate 12,000 local-to-local transactions, resulting in greater local
economic vitality." But maintaining a strong local business community is only one of the keys to sustainability, Greene says.
"If we achieve our goal of effectively engaging both the business community and local consumers alike, we plan to capitalize on a unique opportunity to create a community conversation around what responsible local business ownership–and accountable consumerism–looks like. Unlike dealing with large, corporate giants, who are less interested in the needs of local communities, there is a much greater opportunity for us to change the very nature of how local businesses conduct their operations. Likewise, we are engaging familiar faces, family, friends, and colleagues on a more personal level, and ideally, arming them with the tools needed to improve our community."
One of the ways Greene aims to start this dialogue is by implementing what he calls "local living leadership icons."
"If a business is an active participant in such areas such as recycling or utilizing local products or giving donations back to the community, a corresponding icon will appear next to their offer," Greene explains. "With this approach, we aim to give marketing value to business practices that aren't typically valued or marketed. At the same time, we want to challenge locals and business owners to engage around these issues."
Tags: sustainability, community
