Practical Ways to Live Local
College Times staffIssue date: 11/12/09 Section: News
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Local music and theater supports hundreds of jobs in the Phoenix area - from sound board operators to set designers; from security personnel to ticket takers.
There are countless locally-based dance, comedy and theater troupes and venues that host their work. The vast majority of these local troupes are highly talented and often put on excellent shows - many of them edgier than nationally touring events - for discount prices.
To start checking out local events, check the local listings of area newspapers and websites, including College Times, which include details about the events. Check out websites for groups like Stray Cat Theater, Space 55 and the ASU theater, music and opera departments. Sign up for local theater companies' newsletters to for updates and discounts.
The local music scene is as equally diverse. There are vibrant punk, metal, indie rock, hip-hop, DJ, jazz and blues scenes throughout the Phoenix area. If you don't know where to start, take in some of the many fall, winter and spring festivals in the region at which many local bands play. Phoenix's First Friday, the Tempe Music Festival and many of the local beer and arts festivals all feature local musicians playing for free.
In addition, venues like Jugheads, The Clubhouse, Club Red, Rhythm Room and countless others routinely host local musicians. Check out their website for additional details.
Eating Local Produce and Groceries
Perhaps no choice is as impactful on an individual or the community they reside in as what to eat: all of us make such a choice, and several times a day.
Now, it seems more and more people in the Valley are choosing to eat locally, with an abundance of farmer's markets, produce co-ops and local-friendly groceries sprouting up in the Phoenix metro area than ever before.
One such establishment is Tempe Farmers Market (805 S. Farmer Avenue, Tempe), a quaint new store in downtown Tempe offering locally-grown and organic fruits and vegetables, bread, cheese and more seven days a week.
The perks of buying locally-grown and produced food are many, owner Daryle Duttton says.
"What we want to do is minimize our carbon footprint by offering, buying and eating locally grown foods and support the local economy," says owner Dutton.
But the benefits of eating locally aren't limited to economics and environmentalism, extending to a much more universally understood factor; taste.
"For instance, a tomato grown locally is cheaper due to no shipping costs and tastes like a tomato, where tomatoes shipped in taste like red water, with no flavor of a tomato," Dutton says.
The increase in local food-stores has been swift and difficult to ignore.
Down the street from Tempe Farmers Market, the weekly Market on Mill at Centerpoint Plaza in front of the new Madcap Theaters (730 S. Mill Avenue, Tempe) now serves up fresh produce and hand-made goods on Thursdays from 5 p.m. to
9 p.m.
Right next to ASU's downtown Phoenix campus, the popularity of the Downtown Phoenix Public Market - a farmer's and craft market that takes place every Wednesday and Saturday morning - has led to the opening of the Urban Grocery & Wine Bar (14 E. Pierce Street, Phoenix), the first grocery store downtown in nearly 30 years.
But some locavores are skipping the store altogether, instead opting to join a food co-op. Volunteer-run co-ops allow participants to purchase large amounts of produce directly from growers as group and divvy it up among the group, cutting almost all associated overhead costs. Bountiful Baskets (bountifulbaskets.org), the largest such co-op with over 20 weekly pick-up spots in the Valley, regularly provides nearly $50 worth of vegetables for $15.
Dressing Local
Phoenix has no shortage of talented local designers from the graphic t-shirt designs of labels like Un3ek Sy5tem (myspace.com/uneeksystem), Spraygraphic Apparel (spraygraphic.com), Mob Action (MobAction.com) and Individual Clothing (IamIndi.com), to the artsy looks from Angela Johnson (angelajohnsondesigns.com) and Sir Alistair Rai (siralistairrai.com).
Also local boutiques have such great variety. For the urban skater look check out 623 Clothing (8248 W. Deer Valley Road, Suite 100, Peoria, 623.825.0306) for labels including Glamour Kills and Akomplice. Or for hip-hop chic clothing including pro sports hats check out Royale Noire (5995 W. Chandler Boulevard, Suite 1, Chandler, 480.785.5216). For upscale women's duds like designer denim Urban Angels (2000 E. Rio Salado Parkway, Suite 1063, Tempe, 480.968.3038) and Moody Blues (3355 W. Chandler Bolevard, Suite 5, Chandler, 480.558.7494) are fabulous. But if you're looking for the shabby chic vibe, fun novelty items and jewelry check out Frances boutique (10 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix, 602.279.5467).
On a budget? Check out some local thrift shops for smoking deals on stylish duds; like Shop Devious (1229 N.W. Grand Avenue, Phoenix, 602.330.5794), which actually has free stuff and a $5 rack at all times, and Tiedemann's Family Thrift (755 W. Baseline Road Tempe, 480.222.3381) where most clothes aren't more than $4.98.
And for your home, get one of a kind vintage items at Antique Trove (2020 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, 480.947.6074), Time Warp (1035 W. University Drive, Tempe, 480.988.6988) or Retro Redux (4303 N. Seventh Avenue, Phoenix, 602.234.0120) at affordable prices.
Did You Know?
• Some communities have created their own currency to encourage local shopping. In Berkshire County, Massachusetts, local residents can trade in $95 US Dollars at some banks and receive $100 in Berkshares, which are usable just like regular money at over 400 stores in the region. The county prints it own colorful money. As much as $2.5 million in Berkshares has been circulated.
• Local shopping has a direct impact on the local economy. One study in Grand Rapids, Michigan, concluded that if people moved just 10 percent of their spending from national chains to local retailers it would create 1,600 local jobs and $53 million in additional wages.
• Shopping locally can reduce your carbon footprint. By buying local produce, for example, you reduce the need to truck vegetables and food across the country; or by ship or plane across the globe.
5 Quick tips to Living Local
1. Start small. Living local can be overwhelming if you don't start with the simple things, like staple foods and beverages.
2. Research. Going out to a certain part of town tonight? Employ a quick Google search to find local establishments in the area beforehand.
3. Ask questions. If you're not sure if a product, service or establishment is locavore-friendly, ask.
4. Find other locavores. Sharing information on local favorites is fun and helpful.
5. Think in terms of mileage. A box store may be five miles closer than a local shop, but how far did the mass-produced products travel to get there?
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