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Blogger: Cheryl Gudz

I’ve worked on the EcoAction Teams program for over three years, and I’ve learned that taking positive environmental action in my life is not only simple but contagious. I’m not an environmental scientist or engineer, just a concerned urban dweller who decided she needed to mesh all her passions with environmental work. I also love words and social commentary, so blogging is a good fit. Born and raised in friendly Manitoba, I live in Toronto with my trusty bicycle.

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Since being captivated by the cartoon movie FernGully at the age of five, Prabhjit (Prabh) Banga has been an avid supporter of green causes. Prabh has over four years of experience working in the environmental sector on diverse topics, including conservation, waste management and environmental education. She recently received a Master of Resource and Environmental Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Born and raised in Toronto with roots in India, Prabh loves to travel and discover new places!

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Like the tagline says, this blog is all about news, views and tips on living green. Read ‘em, share ‘em – we’re all in it together. Once you start doing a few things differently, it’s pretty hard to turn off that chip in your brain that says, “Should I be buying this? Should I be doing that?” Maybe it begins with remembering to bring your own bag when you go shopping, then suddenly you’re thinking about dual flush toilets, power bars, and energy efficient coffee makers before bedtime.

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24 November 2008 - 20:15Buy Nothing Day on Black Friday

Buy Nothing Day poster

Down south, they call the day after American Thanksgiving “Black Friday.” It sounds ominous but it’s actually a term retailers and consumers get excited about.

Black Friday is the unofficial start to the Christmas shopping season and one of the most prolific days of the year for retailers. The big stores advertise doorcrashers, line-ups form early in the morning, and many people take the day off from work simply to shop. No joke!

And before you can say thank-goodness-we-don’t-have-that-in-Canada, a simple web search retrieves countless sites that tell us differently.

So if the thought of this consumer madness rubs you the wrong way there is an alternative. You can opt out with Buy Nothing Day this Friday, November 28.

Buy Nothing Day was created by Vancouver artist Ted Dave in 1992, but has found a home with Adbusters (the pros at running anti-consumerism campaigns). Buy Nothing Day activists participate in all kinds of demonstrations and public space events like clothing swaps, credit-card cutting services or empty shopping cart pushing around stores.

Naysayers will tell you Buy Nothing Day is pointless, that the do-gooders will just buy what they want the next day. But alas, they miss the point, and believe me, we at Earth Day Canada know the point very well (Make Every Day Earth Day).

It’s not really about abstaining from consumer culture for one day, but rather re-thinking consumption all year-round.

Have fun buying nothing!

6 Comments | Tags: Conscientious Consumer, Green Winners

Comments:

Money, Stock and Finance » Blog Archive » Buy Nothing Day on Black Friday | Ecoblogist says;
25 Nov 2008 - 8:10

[...] Earth Day Canada’s EcoActions Teams program provides the tips and resources for Canadian households and municipalities to reduce their impact on the environment, including a detailed calculator tool to measure reductions in energy, …[Continue Reading] [...]
Josh says;
29 Nov 2008 - 19:14

Another casualty of Black Friday… http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iDXtETwP7G17BQsO07DecwxuziLgD94O3M380
Cheryl Gudz says;
01 Dec 2008 - 11:15

hi josh. thanks for sharing the link to this story with the community. a man who worked at a suburban wal-mart in new york was trampled and killed by a crowd who broke down doors of the store to get to their black friday ‘deals.’ it just makes you shake your head and hope that the people who were responsible face the consequences of their actions.
John Henry says;
26 Nov 2009 - 8:20

Hey Do you know if anything is happening for BND09?
Cheryl G. says;
26 Nov 2009 - 11:27

hi John, thanks for your question! If i may be so bold…a lot of consumer abstinence? hopefully?

I’m writing a post right now about Buy Nothing Day tomorrow…will be live soon
Cheryl G. says;
26 Nov 2009 - 12:29

MEMO TO SELF: Buy Nothing on November 27
http://www.ecoactionteams.ca/pub/blog/?p=244

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