Extend the Spirit of Buy Nothing Day to Every Day

For those who know that the path to a humane world isn't paved by consumerism, Buy Nothing Day, sponsored by Adbusters, is an opportunity to just say no to the popular American theme of materialism as meaning and consumption as the very reason we rise in the mornings. Held on "Black Friday"(the day after Thanksgiving) in the U.S., and on the following day in other countries, Buy Nothing Day strives to encourage citizens around the world to "opt out of consumer culture completely, even if only for 24 hours." In addition to encouraging us to buy nothing for a day, the campaign also promotes events around the world, from hosting credit card cut ups, to zombie walks to other ways of bringing attention to the impact of our consumer culture.

Buy Nothing Day exists to spotlight the unhealthy co-dependent relationship we've developed with our stuff and to encourage healthier choices. But, bringing our awareness to our spending habits one day a year isn't enough to truly make a difference. We can extend the spirit of Buy Nothing Day to every day, asking ourselves questions about the products that lure us with their siren songs (or those we buy unconsciously out of habit). We can consciously ask ourselves questions such as:

• Is this a Want or a Need?
• How much will I use it? How long will it last?
• Could I borrow it ? Make it? Do without it?
• Will having this add meaning to my life?
• Is purchasing this item the best way to care for myself and the planet?
• What is the true cost of this item to myself? Other cultures? Other people? Other species? Other animals? The environment?
• What will happen to this item when I’m finished with it?
  

Give Buy Nothing Day a try, and then maintain that awareness of your consumption patterns each day. Making choices that do the most good and least harm isn’t actually about perfection, but when we start bringing awareness to the impact of our choices, and take a few seconds to think about questions like “Is this a want or a need?” then such questions become part of our new awareness and then become easier habits, and then grow into old easy ones, and our positive impact on the world continues to flourish, and we're only buying things that we truly need, or that bring us deep meaning and joy.

And before we know it, that humane world we want is happening.


~ Marsha

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