h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"The following year, the anti-consumerism event had spread well beyond Canada's borders" the entry says, but then says little about anything other than U.S. activities. This hardly seems to qualify as "well beyond Canada's borders" Is Buy Nothing Day gaining any traction anywhere else? Latin America? South Asia? Africa? Europe?

And, as a personal observation, my experience of Buy Nothing Day here in Canada is that it is noticed by a statistically insignificant number of people, and those usually on the day after when they say "oh. I'll have to remember it next year". It certainly has not swept the nation.
Yes, it is a noble gesture for those who can afford to spend money to take a day off of consumerism, but, apart from the symbolism -- important as it is -- the wealthy earning interest for another day doesn't really help anyone, does it?


I like the entry, but I'd like to know more.

Think of everyday as 'how you spend your money day', calling on individuals to take an action where they can

I do.


My post was mainly about the entry, and a suggestion of what might make it more complete -- information about the Buy Nothing Day phenomenon around the world. The opening paragraph says that it is observed in sixty countries, but the meat of the entry is about events in the U.S. with passing reference to Canada (where I would suggest it is less "observed" than is the Spring Equinox, BTW). Believe me, I know what Buy Nothing Day is and I've been pushing it where I live for years, and, it does get mainstream media coverage here.


I just thought I'd mention that it would be good to know about what is happening in a number of those sixty countries mentioned in the first paragraph.

And, I remember when we had a buy nothing day once a week.



We called it "Sunday"


Now, in my neighbourhood for many shops "buy nothing day" every week is Monday.

>>> but then says little about anything other than U.S. activities.

Not entirely accurate, Anhaga. Neither Chumbawamba or The Go! Team are U.S. bands. Thanks for reading the entry.

I read the entry, I saw those two items and followed the links, and so, I said "little" rather than "nothing".


This was just a note to consider for some future update. I'm sorry I missed it in PR or I would have brought this up then. Maybe I should have just posted it to EF.


It's not a big issue, just a little note.

For example, the Climate Action Partnership in South Africa promotes Buy Nothing Day in its Climate Change Activity Sheet: http://www.cap.org.za/oid%5Cdownloads%5CLitter%20Audit_9620.pdf

and

Buy Nothing Day India has a Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=178601110302

and Brazil: http://blog.canalazultv.ig.com.br/buy-nothing-day-%E2%80%93-brasil/


These are just examples of things I found after about two minutes on google. And now, after I hit post, they will be a part of hootoo, attached to the Buy Nothing Day entry.

I think that's a positive thing, don't you?