Buy Nothing Day

Buy Nothing Day is the day where people strive to purchase nothing in hopes to create awareness of over-consumption. I think that this day is an excellent idea, because we are all guilty of over-consuming. If I look around the room I'm sitting in currently, I can see a million things that I didn't need to buy, didn't have to buy in order to survive and function on a daily basis. Over-consumption is really prominent in society today: so many people buying things on a daily basis.

I used to be really terrible at over-consuming. I would go to the mall for the hell of it, and spend my money on clothing and CDs that I didn't need. The only thing I will never admit to over-consuming to is books, as I feel that I can never own and read too many books. Living in residence has really helped my over-spending. It helps that I am now a broke student, but all the money I have made working has remained in my bank account. I find that I spend so much less in university, because I know I need the money, and I don't have the time to go to the mall as often as I did. It's nice, because I have money to do my Christmas shopping this year, unlike my sister, who is trying to get every penny anyone has ever owed her back, just so she has money for Christmas shopping.

Buy Nothing Day started in 1992 by a Vancouver artist named Ted Dave (wikipedia.org) and has continued for the past 16 years with growing popularity. I had only heard of Buy Nothing Day last year, and tried to participate. But living in a small town, there really is nothing else to do but go to the corner store and see who is around. So I was never able to do so. But this year, I am confident I will be able to participate successfully in Buy Nothing Day, as I am going to be sitting in residence studying like mad for exams. Buy Nothing Day has been advertised thoroughly throughout the internet as being on Saturday November 29, so this is the day that I am going to attempt to buy nothing.

Each year, I feel Buy Nothing Day has a greater impact on the people of todays society. Over-consumption is an issue that is growing, and it needs all the attention it can get in hopes to slow down societies rate of consumption. Over-consumption jeopardizes the sustainability of a nation, especially when it is combined with an ever-growing population. Our resources deplete, and our environment is affected. So people need to slow down on their consumption, and only buy the necessities in order to keep our planet running smoothly.