Cambridge Local First

Small Business Spotlight! 🌼 Sew and Bloom is a destination for anyone who loves florals, patterns, and textiles and an oasis of beauty, positivity, and joy, where kindred floral-loving spirits can find community with others, create together, sow future dreams, and bring beauty to life. You can find this beautiful shop at 139 Huron Avenue, in the Observatory Hill section of Cambridge, MA. Sew and Bloom offers stationery and cards in their original garden-inspired designs, botanical and gardening books, pressed floral candles, botanical perfume oils, as well as fabric and home decor items (like cushions, napkins, tablecloths, etc.) in their designs. They also also host private celebrations in the shop - like special birthdays, bridal showers, anniversary celebrations, etc. - where they can accommodate 8 in the group and tailor a class experience to them, ranging from pressed floral lanterns to watercolor floral still lifes - even AI floral art! To find out more about upcoming classes and gatherings, visit https://lnkd.in/dzkwBxvG. You can reach out to Sew and Bloom through their Instagram (@sewandbloom), or by phone at (857) 242-3348 🌺🌼🌷 #cambridgema #sewandbloom #cambridgelocalfirst

Meet Gabrielle Powers 🌟 She is an incoming junior at Suffolk University studying pre-law and philosophy. She is a member of her school's mock trial team and legal association, and she is passionate about social justice advocacy and environmental sustainability. While her schedule is quite busy, Gabrielle will always find time for hobbies such as crocheting, reading, and hiking. Her favorite small business is Brattle Book Shop in downtown Boston, and some of the projects she is involved in with the Resilient Local Economies internship include social media management, the Prime Day campaign, and the technology policy tracker. 🌟

This year’s Prime Day has come to an end, but Amazon’s harmful influence and practices do not end with it. “‘Antitrust laws have been largely reduced to a technical tool to keep prices low,’ notes Lina Khan, director of legal policy at the Open Markets Institute. As a consequence, so long as Amazon has appeared to benefit consumers, it’s been allowed to grow using tactics that would once have drawn antitrust scrutiny. 'Amazon Doesn’t Just Want to Dominate the Market — it Wants to Become the Market'” -The Nation Explore this infographic for a brief summary on Amazon’s monopolistic power. While Amazon’s influence is vast and may seem impossible to combat as an individual, consider that there are ways for you to help make a difference. #ThinkTwiceThisPrimeDay #ChooseLocal #HiddenCostsOfAmazon

Today, July 16, begins the two day event where Amazon offers exclusive deals to Prime subscribers. Don’t ignore the hidden costs behind these low prices, negatively impacting independent businesses, consumers, laborers, and the climate. With your help, we intend to spread awareness of the importance of choosing local over the convenience of Amazon. This Prime Day, consider shopping locally or from small businesses online. Your choices can support a more diverse and sustainable economy. “When you are small, someone else that is bigger can always come and take away what you have.” -Jeff Bezos, Founder and CEO of Amazon #ThinkTwiceThisPrimeDay #ChooseLocal #HiddenCostsOfAmazon

Amazon Prime Day is marketed as a celebration of consumer choice, promising an unparalleled selection of products at unbeatable prices. The sheer volume of deals creates an illusion of empowerment, making consumers feel they are in control and making savvy decisions. However, this perception is carefully engineered. Amazon curates the deals, strategically pricing items to create a sense of urgency and scarcity. Amazon has consistently engaged in predatory pricing — selling products and services below cost to kill off competitors and expand its market share. The reality is that consumers are funneled towards products that benefit Amazon's bottom line, not necessarily those that offer the best value or quality. Did you know: -In its early years, Amazon incurred substantial losses by selling books at prices below market rates, which contributed to the closure of many traditional bookstores. -The company also used predatory pricing strategies to weaken e-commerce rivals, such as selling shoes and diapers at significant losses to force mergers with Zappos and Diapers.com, respectively.  -Amazon has sustained losses strategically, such as investing heavily in Prime Video, reportedly losing up to $700 million annually. Initially, these pricing strategies were supported by investor tolerance for minimal profits in exchange for rapid market growth. -More recently, Amazon has been able to offset these losses by leveraging the substantial profits generated by its cloud computing division, Amazon Web Services (AWS), which accounted for 59 percent of its operating income in 2020. #ThinkTwiceThisPrimeDay and don’t let these predatory practices fool you. Avoid the illusion of choice and control, and shop independent local businesses instead.  #ChooseLocal #HiddenCostsOfAmazon

The environmental impact of Prime Day is significant. The rapid increase in orders leads to a surge in packaging waste and carbon emissions from transportation. The convenience of fast shipping comes at the cost of substantial environmental harm. Amazon's logistics network, while efficient, prioritizes speed over sustainability. Since announcing the Climate Pledge in 2019, Amazon’s emissions have increased 40%. The emissions have grown at ~18% per annum as Amazon’s business grows ~24% per annum and will continue to do so until strong measures to curtail it are put in place. This environmental toll is rarely highlighted in the promotional blitz surrounding Prime Day, but it is a critical aspect of the event's hidden cost. This Prime Day, don’t ignore the environmental toll that Amazon works tirelessly to hide. Shop locally to help mitigate the climate crisis. #ThinkTwiceThisPrimeDay #ChooseLocal #HiddenCostsOfAmazon

Amazon's labor practices have been under scrutiny for years, with numerous reports highlighting the harsh conditions faced by warehouse workers. The pressure to meet high productivity targets, especially during Prime Day, leads to excessive strain and burnout. This Prime Day, make sure to consider what goes on behind the scenes and think about the ones who make the convenience possible. Did you know: -In 2022, there were 6.6 serious injuries for every 100 Amazon workers, according to a report from the union coalition Strategic Organizing Center, which relies on data submitted by Amazon to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. That’s more than double the rate of all non-Amazon warehouses, which had 3.2 serious injuries for every 100 workers. -OSHA cited Amazon at six of its warehouses for failing to report workplace injuries and exposing workers to ergonomic hazards. Those citations followed inspections by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York at multiple sites, and the office’s probe is ongoing. -After watching footage taken by an undercover BBC reporter, a stress expert said, “The evidence shows increased risk of mental illness and physical illness.” The company says that its warehouse jobs are “similar to jobs in many other industries.” By participating in Prime Day, consumers inadvertently endorse these exploitative practices, perpetuating a cycle of worker mistreatment. Consider shopping locally to break the cycle. #ThinkTwiceThisPrimeDay #ChooseLocal #HiddenCostsOfAmazon

When we lose diversity in the marketplace, we all lose. This Prime Day, consider alternatives that keep our economy vibrant and fair. #ThinkTwiceThisPrimeDay and consider the ways in which Amazon's dominance affects consumers and small businesses alike: -Amazon's "Fair Pricing Policy" prevents sellers from offering lower prices on other platforms, limiting competition and consumer choice. -Amazon uses predatory pricing tactics to sell products below cost to eliminate competitors. -Amazon strictly limits contact between sellers and customers, even blocking most sellers from seeing buyer names and addresses. -Over the last 15 years, the number of independent retailers in the US has fallen by about 108,000. -Prime membership reduces the likelihood of consumers shopping around, threatening small businesses and limiting consumer choice. By choosing local or independent online retailers, you're supporting a more competitive marketplace that benefits both businesses and consumers in the long run. #ThinkTwiceThisPrimeDay #ChooseLocal #HiddenCostsOfAmazon

Meet Weston 🌟 He is a rising Junior at Belmont High School who loves to spend his free time playing sports, spending time with friends, and reading about history. He's always eager to learn new things whether it’s learning the guitar or traveling and seeing new cultures. Weston grew up in a family with lots of diversity and because of their love of travel, he has been to many countries and visited most of Europe as well as the Middle East and Asia. Weston's favorite small business is Iggy's Bread, and the project he is working on is Business Canvassing 🌟

Every year, Amazon celebrates its anniversary through a two-day event called “Prime Day”, where subscribers to their prime service receive exclusive deals. The event, touted as a celebration of consumer choice and savings, is a cornerstone of Amazon's marketing strategy. However, beneath the glossy surface of Prime Day lies a troubling reality: the illusion of choice and the hidden costs that Amazon works tirelessly to conceal. As Prime Day approaches (July 16-17), it's crucial to consider the real impact of our purchases. Did you know: -Amazon now keeps an average of 30% from every sale made by independent businesses on its platform, up from 19% in 2014. -Over the last 15 years, the number of independent retailers in the US has fallen by about 108,000. -Amazon warehouse workers are twice as likely to be seriously injured compared to workers at other warehouses. -Amazon's carbon footprint is estimated to exceed 70 million metric tons of CO2, despite the company's claims of underreporting. Before clicking "buy" this Prime Day, consider shopping locally or directly from small businesses online. Your choices can help support a more diverse, sustainable, and fair economy. #ThinkTwiceThisPrimeDay #ShopLocal #HiddenCostsOfAmazon