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nces are that it 290 Good Works Are Good Business is encouraging people to buy things they dont really need. But this does not mean that shopkeepers have no means of sharing in the responsibility for the future of our planet. In The Ecology of Commerce (New York: HarperBusiness, 1994), Paul Hawken, founder of the Smith and Hawken gardening catalog and shops, challenges small businesses, including retailers, to conduct their businesses according to this economic golden rule: Leave the world better than you found it, take no more than you need, try not to harm life or the environment, make amends if you do. While admitting that much of what consumers will buy is unnecessary, he argues that there is virtue to be found in marketing items of clarity and simplicity, products that cut through the clutter of our lives and allow us to perform the daily acts of living in a more satisfying way. These items should be objects of durability and long-term utility whose ultimate use or disposition will not be harmful to future generations. These items should be objects of durability and long-term utility whose ultimate use or disposition will not be harmful to future generations. GIVING SOMETHING BACK One of the benefits of success in retailing is the ability to contribute something to the well-being of the community that sustains the store. There are many ways to do this: through ecological action, support of the arts, partnership with the schools, and volunteer activities. You can act locally or on a more global scale. To have a positive environmental impact on your own neighborhood, look for an opportunity to plant trees or restore an older building that otherwise would have been torn down. On a larger scale, you might choose to support conservation groups such as the Sierra Club by selling their licensed products, or by holding a fund-raiser for an organization involved in environmental issues around the world. Just by taking responsibility for the impact your shop has on the environment, you help ensure the future of the community in which you hope to do business for many years to come. Just by taking responsibility for the impact your shop has on the environment, you help ensure the future of the community in which you hope to do business for many years to come. Chances are not all of these will happen to you, or at least not all at once, but it is wise to plan for when things do go wrong, because eventually something will. 304 Managing during Tough Times CRIME, DISASTERS, AND OTHER CRISES: INSURANCE AND PREVENTION No business can afford to be without some form of insurance, and your insurance agent should be a member of your advisory team from the start. If you cant trust the agent not to sell you more insurance than you need, perhaps you should find a new person to deal with. Ask the other businesses in your area to recommend an insurance agency experienced in the retail field. Basic business insurance includes liability coverage protecting the individuals who come in contact with your store: staff, customers, and other visitors. It also protects against loss in the event of fire, with extended coverage available against storms, explosions, riots, and other disasters. It also protects against loss in the event of fire, with extended coverage available against storms, explosions, riots, and other disasters. .