Buy Nothing Day
unconsumer | 15.11.2003 01:29 | Culture | Sheffield
Saturday November 29th is Buy Nothing Day and a good time for fun for anti-consumer action everywhere. Here are some of the ideas from a new UK site 
http://www.buynothingday.co.uk.
http://www.buynothingday.co.uk.
SOME JAMMING IDEAS...
Taking part in BND is fun and engaging. Below are some of the most successful activities - if you want to add to the list CONTACT us...
SHOPPER FREE ZONE
Mark out a public area and fill it with people playing games, listening to music and chilling out on sofas or chairs (inflatable furniture is good). Hand out balloons with Buy Nothing Day written on them to the bemused onlookers
CONSUMER MONSTER!
Join the Consumer Monster Challenge - take to the streets with a video camera and your own http://www.consumermonster.com activist puppet to spread consumer awareness. Learn how to make your own puppet on the site - Get stitching!
CHOO CHOO...
You'll need 13 (lucky), friends and 26 plain shopping bags (if possible all same colour). On each bag put 1 letter making up (BUY NOTHING DAY) line yourself one behind each other - spelling out 'Buy Nothing Day' on the left and right side of your line. Play follow the leader - snake around malls, shops and stand in ques etc.
TROLLEY PRIX
Self explained - borrow some shopping trolleys and get teams to decorate them in BND racing colours or banners. Map out a course and Race or time challenge? Alternatively get friends to climb into trolleys with BND banners and wheel them up and down shopping isles until you get asked to leave! Chant Slogans - 'Shop less Live More!' - 'Give Love - not money!' or 'Spend a day without spending!'
TEMPER TANTRUM!
Re-live those childhood tantrum moments - except this time you're all grown up and should know better. Sit on the floor in any shop with a friend and chuck a mental. Shout things like 'I don't want anything anymore!' or 'You've got more shopping than me - that's not fair you pig!', anything really - just be a BIG kid.
SWAP SHOP
Fairly simple idea. Set up a table and ask people to do swaps. Just for fun - leave a set of bugus Porsche keys and see if anyone notices?
BANNER DROP
Slightly more adventurous - you'll need a big sheet. Paint on a BND slogan like 'The more you consume the less you live!' and see if you can get it put up somewhere in your local shopping centre.
CONGA CONGA!
Top off BND with a classic conga. Chant, sing songs and get everyone to join in. It's a great way to end Buy Nothing Day!
More ideas and info:
http://www.buynothingday.co.uk
http://www.adbusters.org
http://www.buynothingday.org (under construction at present)
See also:
http://www.buynothingchristmas.org
Taking part in BND is fun and engaging. Below are some of the most successful activities - if you want to add to the list CONTACT us...
SHOPPER FREE ZONE
Mark out a public area and fill it with people playing games, listening to music and chilling out on sofas or chairs (inflatable furniture is good). Hand out balloons with Buy Nothing Day written on them to the bemused onlookers
CONSUMER MONSTER!
Join the Consumer Monster Challenge - take to the streets with a video camera and your own
http://www.consumermonster.com activist puppet to spread consumer awareness. Learn how to make your own puppet on the site - Get stitching! CHOO CHOO...
You'll need 13 (lucky), friends and 26 plain shopping bags (if possible all same colour). On each bag put 1 letter making up (BUY NOTHING DAY) line yourself one behind each other - spelling out 'Buy Nothing Day' on the left and right side of your line. Play follow the leader - snake around malls, shops and stand in ques etc.
TROLLEY PRIX
Self explained - borrow some shopping trolleys and get teams to decorate them in BND racing colours or banners. Map out a course and Race or time challenge? Alternatively get friends to climb into trolleys with BND banners and wheel them up and down shopping isles until you get asked to leave! Chant Slogans - 'Shop less Live More!' - 'Give Love - not money!' or 'Spend a day without spending!'
TEMPER TANTRUM!
Re-live those childhood tantrum moments - except this time you're all grown up and should know better. Sit on the floor in any shop with a friend and chuck a mental. Shout things like 'I don't want anything anymore!' or 'You've got more shopping than me - that's not fair you pig!', anything really - just be a BIG kid.
SWAP SHOP
Fairly simple idea. Set up a table and ask people to do swaps. Just for fun - leave a set of bugus Porsche keys and see if anyone notices?
BANNER DROP
Slightly more adventurous - you'll need a big sheet. Paint on a BND slogan like 'The more you consume the less you live!' and see if you can get it put up somewhere in your local shopping centre.
CONGA CONGA!
Top off BND with a classic conga. Chant, sing songs and get everyone to join in. It's a great way to end Buy Nothing Day!
More ideas and info:
http://www.buynothingday.co.uk http://www.adbusters.org http://www.buynothingday.org (under construction at present) See also:
http://www.buynothingchristmas.org
unconsumer
Comments
Hide the following 6 comments
beyond this is your imagination...
15.11.2003 15:44
beyond this is your imagination...
e-mail:
beyond this is your imagination...
Homepage:
http://19896.lowtech.org
Why just make it one day?
15.11.2003 19:38
Buy only from independent shops and cooperatives!
Buy NOTHING from multinational corporations during
the holiday month-Nov.29-Dec.24!
STOP NYC Inc.
Homepage:
http://www.buynothingchristmas.org/
Misogyny
15.11.2003 23:22
This point would be much better made without the use of a photo of a naked woman, and not using this misogynist, sexualised image would encourage more women to participate in what appears to outsiders to be a day run by boys.
Pippa
Misogyny
16.11.2003 19:23
The nakedness is obviously linked to having bought nothing and saying that buying nothing can be a sexy, cool thing to do. The woman's defiant attitude (F**K You!) is different from the usual sexist stereotype image.
It does raise some interesting questions. Can a womans naked body never be shown without a negative connations or sexism?
However I'm not saying it's not sexist. I thought I'd post it to see what others think.
unconsumer
I'm amazed at the use of this picture
17.11.2003 18:09
Alice
I'm amazed at the use of this picture
17.11.2003 18:15
Alice