Proposal for a Green Commerce Trail Thru Manchester

Please imagine this...

a family walks into Mountain Goat store and sees light green podium near the front door that says “the Green Path”. On top of the podium is a big dark green folder that says “Green stuff that this store has”. Inside is a background on all the products in the store with green credentials. For example, the Patagonia fleece is made of recycled bottles, and the company preserves biodiversity in Chile. At the end of the folder, they can see other parts of the Path. They see that Manchester Woodcraft is using wood that is certified to be sustainably harvested. Further, the Sirloin's salad bar is organic.

With this organizing tool, companies would be encouraged to bring organic, healthy, green stuff to Manchester. Students and designers could walk through town on educational tours of where green commerce is at.

Further, a website could list all the products, so somebody types in handbag, and up pops “Ralph Lauren’s fair-traded beaded by a woman’s cooperative in Zaire Evening Bag”. A website could support the Green Path, and be available on laptops in some of the stores.

The green commerce pathway could include stops at the downtown recycling center that took compost. The farmer’s market could be a stop. We could set up an ‘end of life cycle’ return spot, where people could drop off things for return to their companies. (Logistically complicated, but end-of-life returns are central to encouraging companies in green product design.)

This Green Path would allow people to walk through town with a green guide in mind, allow people to “vote with their dollars” more effectively, provide educational opportunities, encourage companies to bring their green stuff to Manchester.

Getting commerce onboard with a sustainable future is key to humanities survival. Giving visitors ways to identify green products would push that market segment.

Manchester should rebrand as town centered around the idea of sustainability and ecological commerce.



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