Buy Nothing Day
For many people, the last weekend of November kicks off the holiday shopping season. But a growing number of people are celebrating a different kind of holiday. It's called Buy Nothing Day. On this day, people are encouraged not to spend any money at all. The movement was started in 1995 by a group who cared about the environmental effects of shopping. "if we buy something, we think we are helping the economy. But we' re killing the planet, and wasting our resources, "said one organizer. "For one thing, just think about all the paper and plastic we're wasting on shopping bags. "
There are Buy Nothing Festivals in most major cities. Participants go to big shopping centers and malls and hand out leaflets about the bad effects of shopping. Other participants cut up their credit cards in public.
Some organizers are unhappy this year because major TV networks will not give them air time to advertise Buy Nothing Day. Although it's hard to advertise this event, over one million people in at least 65 countries are expected to take part in the next Buy Nothing Day.
