I've had somewhat of an obsession lately with the idea of drinking locally and have been scouring the internet in search of liquors and beers made in Chicago and neighboring states.

Why? Just like the carfree movement, the locavore movement seeks to reduce our society's addiction to an over-engineered transportation system that requires everyone and everything to travel vast distances for even simple needs. All that shipping and trucking is an unnecessary waste of resources, and the fuel we burn to move our goods contributes to global warming. By living closer to our daily needs and consuming goods (in this case, liquors and beers) produced closer to where we live, we can cut the waste and reduce our dependence on oil, while becoming more self-reliant and strengthening our local economy. I also love how local food and drink celebrate our unique local culture.