When Did Buy Nothing Day Start?
Buy Nothing day was started in 1992, in Canada. It was initiated by a Canadian artist from Vancouver, his name was Ted Dave.
It is an annual event, that occurs one or two days after the Thanksgiving festival. Currently, Buy Nothing Day is observed in many other countries all over the world.
Along with Canada, these countries are such as the United States, Sweden, Finland, the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, France, Norway, Japan, the Netherlands, and Israel.
What Is Buy Nothing Day?
Buy Nothing Day is actually a movement against extreme consumerism. The day is observed to educate people all over the world about the major issues society faces nowadays because of overconsumption.
Earlier it was often observed on the very same day of Black Friday. However, nowadays, it falls on the last Saturday of November or the day after Black Friday.
Since its beginning, some non-profit organizations like Adbusters have been promoting it in countries like Canada.
[Interesting Fact: In 2000, Some Adbusters’ Campaign Against Extreme Consumerism Were Denied To Promote By Most of The Major TV Channels, Except For CNN]
Does Buy Nothing Day Oppose Christmas Shopping Day?
Yes, it opposes the madness of the Christmas shopping days, including
- Black Friday
- Cyber Monday
- Small business Saturday
- Green Monday
- Giving Tuesday, etc.
How Do People Demonstrate Against Extreme Consumerism On This Day?
- Demonstrators cut their credit cards with scissors
- The Zombie Walk is another popular method of demonstration
- Protestors organize non-commercial free street parties
- Some participants even enter create a multitude inside shopping malls but end up buying nothing.
- Rather than going shopping, some people also celebrate the day for the better of Earth and nature.
Do You Know?
Buy Nothing Day has an old aspect called “Buy Nothing Christmas”. It was started in 1969 to disregard the commercial benefits of the Christmas holiday.
However, present-day, Buy Nothing Christmas has become an extended movement of Buy Nothing Day.
