CHANGE YOUR BUYING IN PROTEST OF THE WAR

Any or all of these suggestions may be taken. Whatever you can do is a step in the right direction. Try your best and remember, it's for a very good cause.

-avoid department stores, superstores, superchains. Instead shop at mom and pop stores, local establishments, local music stores, etc.

-put off major purchases unless absolutely necessary (electronics, cars, appliances). Boycott ANYTHING by companies that deal with the military or that will profit off the war. A little research may be necessary. Try here:

http://www.corpwatch.org/

Maybe someone has lists that can be posted here. Anyone?

-avoid mega brand name products. Go for the unusual products, produced locally perhaps, ethnic goods. Shop at farmers markets or coops, at small ethnic grocers.

-avoid fast food or chain restaurants. Try out the family-owned places or local dives. I'll bet Middle Eastern restaurants are hurting right now..and the food is good!

-drive when you really have to, but try to bike it, walk it, or use mass transit.

-avoid TV and movies put out by corporate networks or big studios. Get out of the house and join with people to stop war and conquest. Enjoy life, enjoy diversity, enjoy each other, enjoy nature. This is what we're fighting to save.

-Attend protests, organize actions, let people know why you're doing all of the above. Speak with friends and neighbors intelligently to help them understand. Make it normal and comfortable to talk about dissent. Never give up!

There are many good sites where parents can shop for peace fostering items for children. Two that come to mind immediately are www.sadako.org (the peace crane project that teaches the young to remember Hiroshima) and www.michaelolaf.net (information on multicultural education, with peace as the goal, montessori based for birth to age 12)