When did you last buy something? Maybe you are looking forward to a shopping trip at the weekend, but will it make you happy? In the short term, the answer might be yes. However, some people think it might not be good for our health and happiness in the long term.
One of the busiest shopping days of the year in the USA is Black Friday (the fourth Friday of November), which has spread around the world. However, not everyone will be queuing for a bargain. In 1992, Buy Nothing Day started in Canada and now more than sixty countries take part. Their message is simple: "Participate by not participating." For twenty-four hours on the fourth Friday of November, people do not buy anything at all. Some people choose to spend time with friends and family instead. Others join protests. But what's the point?
Every single purchase that you make has some kind of an effect on the planet. Making the products and transporting them to the shops use a lot of natural resources. When they are no longer in fashion, the products will end up in the dustbin. All this contributes to air and water pollution, the destruction of our environment and social inequality.
The social influence of our spending habits is also serious. People in consumerist culture are more likely to suffer from financial problems and stress. In order to buy expensive products, people work long hours and therefore spend less time with family and friends.
Critics of Buy Nothing Day say it's meaningless because people will just buy more the following day. But the organizers argue that Buy Nothing Day makes people think about the consequences of consumption and maybe make some changes to their life style.
