The Maryland Chamber of Commerce has joined together with the Chesapeake Sustainable Business Alliance, Maryland Retailers Association and Restaurant Association of Maryland to support a new statewide program to promote doing business locally.

The program, Love Local Maryland, was created by WBAL-TV and is designed to promote and educate the public about the significant economic and environmental benefits derived from supporting our local businesses.

“Love Local Maryland is a grass roots initiative designed to stimulate economic vitality in the state of Maryland,” said Jordan Wertlieb, President and General Manager of WBAL-TV. “The vibrancy of every local economy is controlled in large part by how and where consumers spend their money. Our goal is to remind Marylanders that together we can make a difference.”

Love Local Maryland will include a series of promotional messages designed to inform Marylanders of the advantage of spending their money locally, to help strengthen the Maryland economy.

Members of local Chambers of Commerce and other business organizations throughout the state of Maryland will display the Love Local Maryland logo on a window decal at their business locations. The window decal and other educational material available to consumers are designed to announce individual business support of the program as well as to remind consumers to support their local merchants. Presently the Chesapeake Sustainable Business Alliance, Maryland Chamber of Commerce, Maryland Retailers Association & Restaurant Association of Maryland have signed on to support the program.

Participating businesses will also have an opportunity to combine their support of Love Local Maryland with a Maryland Green Sustainability Pledge; to adopt environmentally sustainable business practices for the benefit of our community, State of Maryland and the planet. Businesses who take part in the pledge, will display an additional window sticker which identifies their commitment to sustainable business practices.

LoveLocalMaryland.com, the online home for the initiative which is currently in development, will be the new place for Marylanders to go for the latest information on how to buy local and make a difference. It will provide an interactive way for consumers to search for local businesses based on location, industry or services. All commercials and support materials for the program have been produced in Maryland.