Buy Nothing Day (What is it? Why is it? Who’s behind it? Are you?)(EXTRA CREDIT POST) By Andrew De Jesus

Buy Nothing Day also known as BND is an international day of protest. A day where people get together to protest consumerism. Consumerism is the expansion of peoples wants and needs for goods and services. It is also the action of groups, individuals and government to protect consumers from policies and rules that disobey with the rights of consumers to fair business practices [3]. BND is also a day where a person does not shop or spend on anything and a day where you can stop to think about the spending you do while relaxing.BND was created as a day for people to do nothing at all but think and reflect. BND started in the 1990s buy Ted Dave in Canada.BND is social activists who are together acting out on consumerism [1].  This first happened in Mexico in 1992 where the people of BND wanted people to take a look at the over-consumption.BND is now a days on the day after Thanksgiving which is also called “Black Friday.” The reason for this is because on Black Friday prices are extremely low and everything is on sale. Black Friday is one of the 10 busiest shopping days in the US. BND started out just in Canada working on their plans but it has spread and is now protested in over 65 nations including the US, UK, German, and Japan. BND is a day of protest so there are always different activities and protest that go on [2]. BND do credit card cut up, where they go in front of shopping malls and public places and cut their credit cards as a message of credit card debt.  As form of protest BND do street parties, sit-ins, public protest, BND hike, BND paddle long, winter coat exchange where people donate coats and anyone who needs one can take it. Other things that are done are zombie walks which are when BND walk around malls like zombies and when asked what they are doing they explain what BND is. Also, something called Whirl- mart, which is when BND protesters get shopping carts and make something like a conga line and they follow each other around with the carts [3].  Despite the fact that I believe what BND do is really interesting, effective, and fascinating how they do things, I am not involved in it. If anything I am what BND is fighting against because I am a person who gets the newest IPod or newest phone. I also like to participate on Black Friday and get things on sales.  

This picture is supporting Buy Nothing Day by encouraging people to not shop. While saying that they are things that a person can do to better their time then shopping.


Resources:


1. http://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/bnd

2. http://buynothingday.org/


3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buy_Nothing_Day