Alternative Thanksgiving Tradition: Buy Nothing Day
by Celine Ruben-Salama, New York, NY on 11.24.06
Yesterday most Americans gathered around the table with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving. Known as Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, kicks off the holiday season and is the busiest shopping day of the entire year. In other words, today many rush to the mall to get a start on their holiday shopping.
In reaction to this fiesta in consumption, consumerism and traffic jams, Adbusters Media Foundation asks us to instead participate in Buy Nothing Day. The name implies not buying anything at all for 24 hours. But in fact it’s about starting (or reconfirming) a life-long commitment to efficient consumption and producing less waste.
According to Kalle Lasn, co-founder of Adbusters “Our headlong plunge into ecological collapse requires a profound shift in the way we see things. Driving hybrid cars and limiting industrial emissions is great, but they are band-aid solutions if we don’t address the core problem: we have to consume less.”
Concider joining mindful consumers in 65 countries today in a 24-hour detox from shopping. Founded by Vancouver artist Ted Dave 14 years ago, Buy Nothing Day is a global phenomenon and a great opportunity to reevaluate your relationship to the things you already own and the things that you are planning to buy. :: Adbusters
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
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- Thanksgiving: So Much to be Thankful For
- Buy Nothing Day 2008 Has a Hollow Ring
It seems to me along the way in our evolution we got really frightened that we might not have 'enough' to survive. Our natural and healthy instinct to consume (must eat, have clothing etc) went into warp overdrive. I think it is about balance. The scarcity mentality usually leads to some really dark ugliness. i just read this post which you might find interesting.