For North America Members: "Buy Nothing Day" Cometh!

[Guest guest]

Namaskar:

 

A bit off-topic I suppose, but in my view anything Earth-friendly can

fairly be called Devi-friendly as well.

 

As some of you probably already know, the day after Thanksgiving Day

(this Thursday, Nov. 28, in the U.S.) is famously the "biggest

shopping day of the year" in the U.S. and Canada, as the end-of-the-

year gift-giving holidays approach.

 

Well, what better way to take a stand against gluttony than refusing

to participate? It's a movement you know -- Buy Nothing Day --

growing bigger every year. I just received the following update from

Vancouver-based AdBusters, the organization that sponsors it:

 

Hey Jammers:

 

It's a countdown to Buy Nothing Day (Nov. 29) and the buzz is wild -

already the hits on our website are breaking last year's records.

 

This year we're taking irony to the max and aiming to put the Burping

Pig uncommercial on CNN's "most prestigious" financial news program,

Lou Dobbs Moneyline. But this is also CNN's most-expensive 30-second

spot. It'll cost us US $18,420 ($21,670 less a 15 percent discount).

 

Thanks to you, we're almost there: we've already received $13,000,

which includes an amazing donation of five grand. But we still have

over $5,000 to go, so if you have a bit of extra cash, send it our

way.

 

To donate, contact Dave Niddrie at <dave, or visit our

website:

http://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/bnd/toolbox/vote/2002donate.html

 

This is the cutting edge of social marketing. We're using mainstream

tools to broadcast a message of dissent. At its best, it's mind-

twirling, hard core meme warfare - a calculated strategy to reach the

largest audience possible and wake them from their consumer trance.

 

This is our big plan right now, tell us about yours. Visit the

Contacts page and tell other jammers what you're doing and where:

http://adbusters.org/campaigns/bnd/toolbox/contacts.jhtml

 

Cheers, and happy jammin',

 

Adbusters

Staff & Volunteers

 

*************************

 

Even if social protest isn't your bag, you'd still do well to

consider the items on this checklist Buy Nothing Day volunteers hand

out at shopping malls, etc:

 

Checklist for Shopping

 

-Do I need it?

-How many do I already have?

-How much will I use it?

-How long will it last?

-Could I borrow it from a friend or family member?

-Can I do without it?

-Am I able to clean, lubricate and/or maintain it myself?

-Am I willing to?

-Will I be able to repair it?

-Have I researched it to get the best quality for the best price?

-How will I dispose of it when I'm done using it?

-Are the resources that went into it renewable or nonrenewable?

-Is it made or recycled materials, and is it recyclable?

-Is there anything that I already own that I could substitute for it?