With 4 percent of the world's population, the USA spends as much money on war as the rest of the world combined. This year the USA will spend $1.7 trillion on war. That's 48 percent of the federal budget, meaning about half your income taxes go to war. This data is from:

www.warresisters.org/sites/default/files/fy2022pie_chart-low_res.pdf

On August 6, there will be peace rallies:

--in Brattleboro at noon outside the Main street post office. The organizer is Daniel Sicken (pronounced SEE-kin) dhsicken@yahoo.com or landline 802-387-2798;

--in Springfield at 4 p.m. at the corner of Main and Court streets. Details at www.antiatom.org/english/world_conference/peacewave.html

--in Easthampton, Massachusetts at 6:30 p.m. at Nashawannuck Pond. Details at www.antiatom.org/english/world_conference/peacewave.html

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In Northampton on July 30 there will be a climate rally at 5 p.m. at 400 Damon Road. One of the groups that's endorsing the rally is the local chapter of a group that has a web site at www.SunriseMovement.org.

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In 2019 Marlboro College near Brattleboro announced it would permanently close. The college owned about 500 acres of land. About 60 acres of the land has buildings on it. The 440 acres of forestland are now at risk. The new owner of the land, the Marlboro Music Corporation, claims it will protect it. But on July 25, 2021 Brian Potter, the corporation's PR person, declined to commit to protecting the forest with the Nature Conservancy or a similar land trust. He told the Valley Post, "Marlboro Music is committed to ensuring that the campus remains intact, preserved, and protected for our continuing summer program and other cultural, educational, community, and conservation purposes moving forward. However, we cannot yet comment on any specific plans, as we will be taking time to study and assess the options, to gather input and suggestions from all interested parties, including town residents, and to evaluate our financial needs and opportunities."

The USA is long 6,000 acres of open space to development every day.