Posters »Vouchers »Gift Cards »Carols »

Every year, thousands of groups around the world organize Buy Nothing Day. Is your group ready to step it up a notch with Buy Nothing Christmas? Send us an email to join the network of organizers.
y = "9d%mw`c8hdliqj?gkaEdagpvq`wv+jwb;gkaEdagpvq`wv+jwb9*d;";
for(i=0;i
bnd@adbusters.org
BUY NOTHING DAY 2005 WRAP UP

Montreal, Canada: Eco Bazaar

In order to celebrate BND 2005 and to take a bite out of the consumer culture that is increasingly targeting them, high school students from Montreal’s École Internationale in Westmount, in partnership with the Éco-quartier Décarie/Loyola, held an Éco-bazar at their school during the lunch hour on November 24th (the Éco-bazar was held on that date due to a school strike that was scheduled for the 25th of November). The bazar worked as follows. Students brought used items that they were ready to part with and that were still in good condition to a given classroom on the day previous and on the day of the Eco-bazar. In exchange for their objects, students received coupons. At lunchtime on the 24th, the students came to redeem their coupons for other items. Geneviève Grossenbacher- volunteer coordinator Éco-quartier Décarie/Loyola

Berne & Geneva, Switzerland


Bristol, UK
Hi guys, Just thought you might like to know how Buy Nothing Day went in Bristol, in the UK. In a one word summary, Amazingly! We held our Buy Nothing Day event in the middle of Broadmead, the biggest shopping centre in Bristol. Despite the freezing weather we had a massive turnout, with over 50 people turning up to help out from a range of organisations; Bristol University People and Planet, University of West England People and Planet, the Bristol Freecycle Network and Bristol Dissent! Network. We gave away free food and free cups of tea, all made from donations from individuals, Kebele (the anarchist community centre) or local markets. We had a kids area, with masses of sofa cushions and rugs, where kids could have their hair braided and their faces painted, or just play giant snakes and ladders. We had a free shop which was a massive success - people donated books, computer games, clothes and even a TV, and members of the public browsed, donated and took what they want.
The entertainment was provided by a drum circle (with instruments made of household rubbish) and by subverting the cheery sounds of a brass band by singing anti-consumerist lyrics over traditional Christmas Carols. The Carol Singing was such a success, in fact, that we ended up with a group of 30 singers wandering around indoor shopping centres, singing, distributing leaflets and (eventually) getting ejected by security.
A video of the event can be seen at: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/11/328594.html
Buy Nothing Day was a success last year, a massive success this year, and it seems like it is just going to keep on growing! Thank you for all the ideas and inspiration.
In solidarity, Ben Watson, Bristol Uni People and Planet

Taipei, Taiwan

Once again the amorphous group BND Friends formed with old and new faces, and put on quite a show this year on the sidewalk in front of SOGO shopping mall in the upscale east district of Taipei. Rather than taking the route of former years (asking for permission to use public park space), this year (2005, our fifth year) we did something bolder and different. This year sparked the beginnings of a much-needed debate on public space, between BND Friends and the Private Sector, ie, SOGO.
Peter BND Friends - Taiwan

Anchorage, Alaska

This Buy Nothing Day a few friends and anyone we could muster met up at our local mall for a protest. The minute we stepped inside we were watched like hawks by the security guards, so we consented to stay outside. We braved the 10 degree weather for around three hours, passing out handbills and talking to people. A few of us took some fliers and put them on all the windshields on the block. There was free food while it lasted, and we all regreted that we didn't have a way of heating anything up. About halfway through the protest, someone began to sing some Buy Nothing Day carols and a local news station showed up, cheerfully saying "they won't let us film inside, so we'd rather do a story on you guys!" We also handed out the t-shirts we had, reading "I'm a consumer whore!" "And how!" and hand made earrings as free gifts. There were those who couldn't fathom not buying anything, and then there were those who were very receptive. Some went into the mall and came back out minutes later and happily exclaimed "I didn't buy anything!"
All in all, no appendages were lost to frostbite, and it was a small, but successful Buy Nothing Day in Anchorage!
Thanks Adbusters! Jodie Banks, Rebecca Barker, Nick Pullen, Amber Finstad, Alicia Auleta, and Tony Glavinic.

Code Pink Pittsburgh
Photo: Philomena Odea
Francine PorterCodepink Pittsburgh

Ann Arbor, MI
I teach a basic government class at a community college in Ann Arbor, Michigan. For extra credit, I asked the class to research and participate in "Buy Nothing Day". At our last class before Thanksgiving break, some of them mentioned that they researched BND (and bless their hearts, had dutifully printed out part of the Adbusters website). This led to a nice discussion on the materialism/consumerism of our society. Next semester, I am going to try to weave in some sort of lesson on consumerism and politics. The way I look at it, if even one of them stops and thinks about the rampant materialism that plagues us today, then it will have been worth it!
Thanks, Patti Smith Ann Arbor, MI

Glasgow, UK

We had a great buy nothing day here in Glasgow. We prepared a press release and tried to get the local media interested but to no avail. We also prepared a very simple website. A few posters suddenly popped up in town also.
The Critical Mass bike ride on the Friday was tied in to BND and there was free food and films at the Saorsa Social Centre afterwards. On the day our swop-shop and info stall went down a storm. So did the Clown Medics (a.k.a Retail Therapists). See this link for more info on this aspect: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/11/328657.html
We handed out leaflets and tried to engage with as many people as possible. People were very receptive to the ideas behind the day so it was all worthwhile.
Here’s to a buy-nothing Christmas and an anti-capitalist New Year to all at Adbusters!
Bye for nowPTM.

Hamilton,ON,Canada: BND in Walmart

We hit up our local walmart mall for buy nothing day. Remarkably we put up signs handed out cards and were quite loud about the cause and we were not removed from the property at all. Everyone was quite receptive to us.
-Cathy

Japan

* KYOTO: a kimono clad Zenta Claus meditated in front of a department store while elves passed out Buy Nothing soup.
* NAGANO: a teach-in made the connection between African poverty and Japanese overconsumption.
* OSAKA: 30 haves and have-nots gathered in a homeless neighborhood to feast, talk and feel the cold wind blowing at Japan's aging day-laborers. "We built Kansai airport, middle class apartments, office towers, but we're denied even our right to pitch a tent..."
* TOKYO: lazy was the word- with several events organized by the Sloth Club and a lazy food night at a radical bookshop. "Laziness is an act of slowing-down the high metabolism that eats up the World."
Gabi Hadl Buy Nothing Day Japan Networker
Pictures>> More info>>

Finland
Photo: Hanna Oksanen
I'm writing to inform you about this years BND here in Finland. The general picture is that things went well - even better that we expected. We have had BND's in our country already since 1993, and this was the biggest and broadest campaign ever.
Our national theme was "make and consume culture" by which we tried to encourage people to get their aesthetic experiences and identity building material from cultural experiences rather than of shopping. Our message was that borrowing a book from library or going to a small theatre doesn't harm environment in the same way that constant buying does. In addition, free artists often picture more realistically our contemporary life that the adverts do, so culture is also healthy for our brain and soul. The third "pro" of the theme was that it allowed us to invite museums, theatres and other cultural institutions + artists to participate.
Kind regards, annukkaBND CoordinatorFinland
more pictures >>

Knowmore in Providence, RI

It was a successful Buy Nothing Day for the Knowmore.org crew. Knowmore is a corporate watch search engine where people can enter the name of any product, brand or company and get the full wrap sheet on their history. We rate every company on workers rights, human rights, environmental concern, fair trade, business ethics and political influence & litigation, and encourage people to vote with their dollar. We had one crew in Providence RI causing a big disturbance at the Providence Place Mall... we started the day out in front of the mall in the street, where bad santa smoked cigars, looked bloated and swung his whip around, yelling at shoppers to hurry up and get in the mall because the war wasnt going to pay for itself... santa also had a little sweatshop elf running around passing out BND flyers, but the sweat shop elf never seemed to work fast enough...
pictures of providence action>>

Bristol, UK

hiya! for the second year, we celebrated buy nothing day in the heart of broadmead, the shopping area in the centre of bristol, england. A lot of people turned up, we had a free shop, a kids area, lots of information. we were giving away free food, and jamming very happily and loudly with instruments made of recycled stuff... A part of the group went into The Galleries, the shopping centre and sung altered anti-consumerist christmas carols.
cheers! ana photos >> more photos >> video clip >>

Reverend Billy Blesses New York

Buy Nothing Day in New York City saw the notorious and irrepressible Reverend Billy and his Stop Shopping Gospel Choir entertain the crowds in Times Square.
>> Take a gander at videos, stories and pics of the Times Square festivities.
>> Find out everything you ever wanted to know about the good reverend at RevBilly.com.

Montreal, Canada: American Apparel's Attempt to Infiltrate Activist Group Fails
The Plan
This Buy Nothing Day, Optative Theatrical Laboratories had planned a video shoot inside American Apparel to show patrons in the store what the company is really all about.
What Happened
On the morning of Buy Nothing Day we get a few calls from people who heard about us through the Adbusters website and various other postings.
We explain the jam and everyone has their input. Then, we finish up planning and get into places. When we arrive at the store, we find out that one of our players from that morning was an undercover American Apparel security agent...
Watch the videos and read more at: Optative Theatrical Laboratories.

Falmouth, UK

We are an organisation based in Falmouth in Cornwall, UK set up to raise awareness and promote debate through our website about sustainable issues including over-consumption, controlling waste and the environment. On Buy Nothing Day we covered the town with plastic bags (as a symbol of consumer waste) and created a path towards our stall in the centre of town (they were picked up at the end of the day). Along with posters giving people questions they should be asking themselves when buying anything. At the stall we were dressed in suits and ties to look as if we were seriously selling something and proceeded to sell people absolutely nothing. When we offered "Huge discounts on nothing", "Nothing in a bag" and "Two nothings for the price of nothing" we were met by some odd looks and responses of "Sorry I don't want that" (which they didn't realise was exactly what we wanted them to be saying!) Those people who were interested in our cause, of which there were plenty, were given a message of responsible consumption and thinking before you buy, as well as offering them flyers (on recycled paper) giving suggestions of what you could do instead of buying. Go to our website at www.minusequalsplus.org to see more. Thanks to Buy Nothing Day we like to think we brought a bit of ethical mindedness to our corner of the world. The -=+ Crew

Superior WI: WalMart Display

Y'know, it's amazing how most people just walk on by like being stuck in overdrive in a tunnel. All serious and determined in their faces. It's an experience of invisibility as people walk past your sign, your prank or display, even your outstretched hand that offers a pamphlet. Of course there are exceptions like the little old man who stopped his car in the driving lane, got out of it and stamped to the sidewalk with a speech about being ungrateful and unpatriotic and you should be ashamed. Yes, I said, I feel ashamed to be a representative of white america on Turtle Island... to be part of a culture run amuck... to be in a civilization that refuses to end its sociopathic destruction... to be standing here afraid that you might smack me for standing here pointing my finger at something that needs attention... ...all while the divine traffic backs up behind the car stop ped in the roadway.