DURANGO, Colo. - As gas prices rise and financial markets slip, a diverse coalition is hoping to insulate La Plata County’s economy with a multifaceted campaign to explain the benefits of keeping purchases close to home.  

More than a year in the making, the “Look Local First” campaign is a joint effort of the Durango Chamber of Commerce, La Plata  Economic Development Action Partnership (LEAD), Healthy Lifestyle La Plata and a new group initiated by local businesses and non-profit organizations christened LOCAL (La Plata Organizations Cooperatively Advocating Local).

The campaign goal, according to a release, is to “keep our dollars flowing in La Plata County” by taking advantage of the multiplier effect, which translates dollars spent in La Plata County into additional purchases that create more jobs, raise wages and generate additional sales tax revenue for community services. The campaign’s organizers believe keeping dollars flowing in the county can help businesses and their customers ride the rapids of a turbulent economy.

The campaign will utilize a variety of media for advertising to promote loyalty to La Plata County businesses. It will also include the production of a “Be Local” coupon book featuring locally-owned, independent businesses and an “Eat Healthy, Eat Local” consumer education campaign supporting healthy, local food choices.

La Plata County residents will begin hearing the “local first” message within the next few months, and the coupon book is planned to be in stores in time for the holidays. A similar coupon book program in Fort Collins offers more than $2,000 in savings from local merchants and has been wildly successful.

Rather than a one-time effort, the campaign plans to build the foundation for an ongoing education program. For example, sales from the Be Local Coupon Book will help the LOCAL organization hire a part-time staff person. Thus far, 20 local businesses have joined as founding members, enabling the group to retain Juliet Whitfield, a small business owner, to begin soliciting coupon participants. 

Organizations such as LOCAL are part of a growing national movement emphasizing the look local first message. In Bellingham, Wash., 58 percent of local residents said a similar campaign had impacted their buying habits. Locally, the Sustainability Alliance of Southwest Colorado and the Fort Lewis College Environmental Center are providing significant support to get the new organization off the ground.

“Sustainability means relying as much as we can on goods and services produced close to home to provide what we need to survive,” said Marcus Renner, FLC Environmental Center director. “Sustainability starts local.”

The La Plata Loyalty theme embraces businesses in La Plata County and builds on the long-time efforts of the 840-member Durango Chamber of Commerce and 30 members of LEAD to promote the local business community.

According to organizers, success will depend on everyone in the county. To support the campaign, business owners can purchase a coupon in the book or help offset the cost of advertising; artists can submit illustrations or photos for the coupon book; and residents can make sure to check first with local merchants before driving outside of the county or shopping over the Internet. 

Further information is available at www.laplatalocal.org.

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