Big box stores like Wal-Mart are steamrolling their way into cities and towns throughout the country, pushing down wages and forcing small, local businesses to close because they can’t compete with these mega-companies’ predatory practices. But there’s something we can do! On Saturday, November 22nd, consumer groups around the country are joining “America Unchained" and "Canada Unchained," a national campaign sponsored by the American Independent Business Alliance, to encourage consumers to buy locally for the holidays – and all year round. Let’s vote with our dollars in favor of locally owned, independent businesses and against the negative impacts of chain stores and big box stores on our communities!

Organizing a Buy Local Month in your community is a great way to bring attention to the benefits of buying local rather than buying from big box stores. Click here for ideas about how to organize a Buy Local Month. They range from something very small scale, like getting your friends to hand out “buy local” flyers outside chain stores in December, to something larger scale like getting your city government to declare a particular month the official “buy local month” in your city. You can also promote buying local by organizing a screening of “Independent America” or “Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price; or inviting a speaker like Stacy Mitchell, the author of Big Box Swindle to do a speaking event; or getting local businesses to display “buy local” signs in their windows. Click here to check out BALLE’s comprehensive how-to guide to organizing a buy local first campaign in your community.

BALLE (Business Alliance for Local Living Economies) organizes a Buy Local Week every year during the first week in December. This year, business districts around the U.S. and Canada will be celebrating Buy Local Week with contests, neighborhood events, window posters identifying independent locally owned businesses, and proclamations from local mayors declaring December 1-7 Buy Local Week. Click here (http://www.livingeconomies.org/netview/lf-campaigns) to find out more about BALLE's Buy Local Week and its ongoing Local First Campaign to educate consumers about the economic and social advantages that independent and local businesses bring to a community.

Big box stores like Wal-Mart are steamrolling their way into cities and towns throughout the country, pushing down wages and forcing small, local businesses to close because they can’t compete with these mega-companies’ predatory practices. But there’s something we can do! Let’s vote with our dollars in favor of locally owned, independent businesses and against the negative impacts of chain stores and big box stores on our communities! Why buy local? Local businesses produce more income, jobs, and tax receipts for local communities than big box stores do; Local businesses are more likely to utilize local ads, banks and other services; Supporting local businesses preserves the economic diversity of our communities and the unique character of our neighborhoods. Click here to read more!

The Organic Consumers Association is trying to get one million people to join them in striving to Break the Chains by December, 2008. Urge your local businesses, community organizations, coffee houses, environmental groups, and churches to do the same! Click here to sign the Break the Chains pledge: I pledge to Break the Chains whenever possible by: *Buying Organic, Fair Trade, and Fair Made products. *Boycotting Wal-Mart and the Big Box chains, as well as the big chain bookstores, restaurants, grocery stores, and coffeehouses. *Buying locally or regionally produced organic and green products. *Buying Organic, Made in USA, Union Made, or Fair Made clothing, or else shopping for vintage and recycled garments. *Boycotting sweatshop products from nations such as China, where labor rights are routinely violated. *Giving preference to independent, locally owned, or cooperative businesses. *Turning off corporate controlled television, radio, magazines and newspapers, and tuning in to the alternative media.

Big box stores like Wal-Mart are steamrolling their way into cities and towns throughout the country, pushing down wages and forcing small, local businesses to close because they can’t compete with these mega-companies’ predatory practices. But there’s something we can do! On Saturday, November 18th, consumer groups around the country are joining “America Unchained,” a national campaign sponsored by the American Independent Business Alliance, to encourage consumers to buy locally for the holidays – and all year round. Let’s vote with our dollars in favor of locally owned, independent businesses and against the negative impacts of chain stores and big box stores on our communities!