Buy Nothing Day – What is It ? 

Buy Nothing Day was originally called “No Shop Day” and originated in Canada by Ted David in 1992.  Ted David made his living in the advertising workplace and came up with the concept of organizing a collective protest against the large advertising agencies and marketing companies that always encourage over consumption and spending.  His original motto was “enough is enough”.

Buy Nothing Day became very popular in 1995 when an anti-consumerism organization called Adbusters started promoting it on its web site.  Buy Nothing day is now being endorsed and practiced around the word.  In Canada and the United States “Buy Nothing Day” usually takes place after the American Thanksgiving weekend since it marks the beginning of the busiest shopping season of the year.

20% of the world’s population consumes 86% of the world’s natural resources.  This leaves only 14% of the world’s natural resources for the remaining 4 to 5 billion people in the developing world.  The idea behind Buy Nothing Day is to increase the awareness of peoples about their consumption and spending habits as well as to encourage everyone to think about mass consumerism and the effect it has upon the culture and environment of the world.

Buy Nothing Day is a day when everyone is encouraged not to make any purchases.   It is a day upon which you can challenge yourself and others to refrain from shopping in order to spend more time with your family and friends as well as increase your awareness of the world around you.
 

In Solidarity,
Alice Elsender
 Secretary Treasurer, CUPW-Calgary Local