Alston: You Don't Have to Buy Local
It's become something of a fad to advocate for the exclusive purchase of local goods when possible. It's easy to see why this idea is popular people naturally favor things that are close to home. Economically, this idea appears to make a lot of sense, as well, because if local businesses receive your money rather than national or foreign businesses, the local business owners will in turn spend their money locally. Friends and family living nearby benefit from the increased economic livelihood everyone's a winner, except for the multinational business whose products you refused. It's even good for the environment, many supporters say.