Just How Local Can Local Be?

2009-08-18T12:31:00.000-04:00

Local went global. The locovore movement is nothing new, but since Al Gore made the world acutely aware of global warming and the human impact on the Earth, everyone from Bangor to Bangalore is examining how they can live more sustainably. One culmination of this movement has been the revival of the locovore craze of days yore. Consuming food grown locally is a noble effort in minimizing our impact on the atmosphere. Still, we consume a lot more than food in our forays through this earthly realm. Services, goods, technology, media, art, information, and people are all consumed across the developed world. But a majority of what we consume has never heard a word of English until we put down some plastic for it. Services, goods, food, people, information, media, and technology are shipped from a world away to a world away. Some of this is cheap and efficient. A lot of this is cheap and dirty. Common denominator: cheap. Well cost is no longer solely reflective of the value of anything. The monetary attribution of value to a good, service, person, etc. is but one piece of a complex socioeconomic ecosystem we must maintain in order to sustain in the long run. I could go on, but I'm boring myself.

Blah, blah, blah and the hyper-local movement was born. In a nutshell, we have the opportunity to find micro-efficiencies where the myriad consumption we create can more sustainably, and efficiently, accrue to the benefit of local producers of such goods, services, information, etc. and thus eliminate wasteful consumerism filling the pockets of low-wage manufacturers in the developing world. Of course, it's much more complicated than that, but I'm not here to argue the empirics of it. It works because of the deliberate collaboration and chance encounters that serendipitously emulsify in a healthy community. And that's what the hyper-local movement does most importantly and effectively. It creates community. I'm sure you've heard all about social media, iPhones, Wiis, and the likes. Well these are all platforms-- pedestals if you like-- a means for you to interact with a broad community of people and places from your own personal perspective (profile if you may). How does this all come together? Sustainability drives technology. Technology enables social media. Social media finds hyper-local everything. Hyper-local everything creates connections. Connections create value. Value grows communities. Communities grow values. Values ensure sustainability. Did I lose you? Me too. Stay tuned for irregular reflections on obscenely local everything. Have an idea or want to share your hyper-local experience? Let me know! I'm out to find "Just How Local Can Local Be?"

Thanks for checking in!

Oh and if you can tell me the artist and song that this post's title is a parody of, OL props to you! :-)

Obscenely Local

Just How Local Can Local Be?