The Preservation Institute

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Stopping Superstores and Chains

Large scale superstores and chain stores displace independent shopkeepers who are a mainstay of communities, and they pave over open space and drain the vitality of older shopping districts. This page lists groups working to stop superstores and chains.

The Home Town Advantage Bulletin: An excellent newsletter about citizens and policymakers who are trying to fight chains and preserve local businesses, published by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR), which also has many other useful resources.

Sprawl Busters: The site of Al Norman, a political consultant in Greenfield, MA, who helps communities stop big-box stores. This site contains information on anti-chain groups nationwide and on his sprawl-busting activities.

Peninsula Neighborhood Association of Gig Harbor, Washington: Working to stop a 148,000-square foot Wal-Mart complex. The vast majority of citizens are opposed to Wal-Mart, and their petition drive has gotten over 11,000 signatures from people in town and the surrounding areas, though the population of Gig Harbor itself is just over 4,000. Yet Wal-Mart still wants to build the store in Gig Harbor to draw customers from nearby Tacoma.

McLibel Lawsuit

In England, McDonald's sued five Greenpeace activists for libel when they allegedly distributed leaflets attacking the company's employment practices, the nutritional value nf its food, and other features of its operations. Apparently, this giant chain store, which people world-wide consider a symbol of America, is trying to show Britain that Americans do not believe in free speech. Two activists decided to fight the lawsuit, and the McLibel trial became the longest running trial in British history.

You can get information about McLibel, McDonald's and other Multinationals, on:

McSpotlight which has extensive information on McDonald's.

McLibel Support Campaign in the UK, which is helping the defendents.

The McLibel Trial page, with complete information on the case.

McSpotlight also includes an extensive list of anti-McDonalds and anti-chain campaigns in other countries.

Spread the Word

Please let us know about other groups working on these issues. Send e-mail to webpages@preservenet.com.

The Natural Environment: The Social Environment