Want to Go Local?

With the increasing presence of the web, its interesting to see where it is taking local consumers. With the advent of the World Wide Web, companies from all over the globe now vie for the attention of people right in your back yard.

People always need to make a choice - do I buy locally and hope to get the professional service and support that comes with working with someone in the community? Or do I order from China, Australia, the US or some other foreign country, and "hope for the best"???

Obviously, its my opinion you're better off working with a company that specializes in the services you need, is properly trained, and has a local presence to take care of clients when things arise down the road.

Now, local Edmonton area businesses are taking a step to increase their presence on the World Wide Web. Some have chosen to work with Walter Schwabbe at Fusedlogic, "Using our three-step process of research, strategy and implementation, I'm confident we'll be successful in developing a social media strategy to increase the profile of the Greater Edmonton tech community in Alberta and abroad."says Schwabbe about using the Internet to empower a greater local presence.

Douglas Environmental Solutions based out of Sherwood Park is now on Facebook, now has a blog, is on Plaxo, Twitter, Digg, LinkedIn and a number of other social media sites. We're hoping to educate people on the benefits of making sound choices regarding water quality and treatment options. From basic water filter systems, carbon filters, reverse osmosis systems or distillers, even bottled water - there are numerous options that people have if they're not comfortable drinking their tap water.

Whole home filtration options range from a simple water softener to or conditioning systems that also deploy filters to remove sediment, lead, iron, chlorine and chemicals, or other contaminants from the water, there are a lot of options for people these days, and they're using the Internet to research and make informed decisions. As with anything these days, there are the bargain basement models and there are systems that are proven technologies, some even backed by 25 year warranties!

From cost savings to health reasons, making appliances last longer, saving money on heating bills or just having your glassware and silverware look shiny - there are different reasons to consider water treatment and different options available to treat either a single purpose or a broad range of issues facing homeowners today. Most solutions are available both locally and over the Web....

Some aspects need to be done locally, however. Its almost impossible to get a "mail order water test" -sulfur, chlorine and other chemical pollutants in the water dissipate over a short period of time. While they can definitely be found in the tap water in some homes, they may not make it to the lab for identification - leading to a false sense of security, or poor results if you're trying to ensure your family has safe, clean water in the household. Getting your water tested at home is the best possible start to addressing water quality concerns - and THAT is hard to do over the Internet!

Maybe people can now get the best of both worlds - the ability to use the Internet to increase knowledge as a consumer, but still be able to find, trust and work with a local company. Only time will tell! In the meantime, check out the local businesses that are engaging the Internet and fighting to stay in the local community spotlight!