Dear Just Be: I want to make some changes in our family to make a positive impact in the world, any suggestions of what I can do?

Whether it is due to the recession, or recent world events, many people are looking into making small individual changes that can better our communities and our planet. A visible difference is that we see reusable, cloth shopping bags more and more everyday at our stores. But once you are in the store do you give much thought to what you are buying and how it can impact your community?

There is a growing movement to buy local products. When you buy local products you are helping cut down on fuel consumption. Products that are shipped from overseas or even from across our own country use more fuel than products shipped from within your are, state or region to your store. You and your family can also benefit since most produce will be fresher if purchased locally and local produce tends to be cheaper than produce shipped from far distances.

Another positive impact buying locally has, is that it supports your local economy and can preserve the local economic diversity. When there are more independent stores to choose from versus a few mega-stores, we can create unique characters to our neighborhoods and communities. The stores can truly reflect the needs, wants and personality of the people within the community.

It has also been shown that local businesses produce more income, jobs and tax receipts in local communities as compared to big chain operations. Local infrastructure, such as roads, schools, fire & police protection, are supported when we buy locally.

So the next time you head to teh store for grocery, clothes or household shopping - take along your reusable cloth shopping bag (or a backback) and give some thought as to where the products are coming from before you purchase them. And don't be afraid to inquire with the store management if you are unsure where their products are from or to request that they offer more local produced items.