{"id":27669,"date":"2020-11-26T13:40:51","date_gmt":"2020-11-26T18:40:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/?p=27669"},"modified":"2021-12-06T06:24:52","modified_gmt":"2021-12-06T11:24:52","slug":"7-ways-to-buy-nothing-and-still-get-what-you-need-on-black-friday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/27669\/7-ways-to-buy-nothing-and-still-get-what-you-need-on-black-friday\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Non-Shopping Shopping List: Buy Nothing and Still Get What You Need on Black Friday"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cBetween 60-80 percent of the impacts on the planet come from household consumption. If we change our consumption habits, this would have a drastic effect on our environmental footprint as well.\u201d<\/em>
(<\/em>source<\/strong><\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n\n

Buy Nothing Day<\/em><\/strong> was launched in 1992 in Vancouver, Canada by artist Ted Dave \u201cas a day for society to examine the issue of over-consumption.\u201d It was subsequently taken over by Adbusters Magazine<\/strong><\/a> and the date changed to occur annually on #BlackFriday<\/strong> \u2013 a perfect counter action to the frenzied day of shopping for sales on items most of us probably don\u2019t even need.<\/p>\n\n

Various campaigns and forms of protest take place across the world on #BuyNothingDay <\/strong>to shine a spotlight on the serious implications of overconsumption on the health of the planet (and people<\/strong><\/a>). But the intention of those who promote Buy Nothing Day is not simply to rally people to buy nothing for a single day (although wouldn\u2019t it be cool if so many people participated as to cause a visible drop in sales?!), the bigger picture is about inspiring permanent, lasting lifestyle changes:<\/p>\n\n

\u201cBuy Nothing Day isn\u2019t just about changing your habits for one day, but about starting a lasting lifestyle commitment to consuming less and producing less waste.\u201d <\/em>
\u2013 Adbusters Magazine<\/em><\/p>\n\n

This is not to say that it’s never ok to want or need things – I myself am an object enthusiast. But it is an opportunity to re-evaluate how much and what we buy, and think about alternative ways of accessing them beyond buying new all the time. <\/p>\n\n

So here are 7 activities for you to try on Buy Nothing Day this year that can be carried over into your year-round relationship with things (jump to a section:<\/strong> declutter<\/a>, swap<\/a>, repair<\/a>, make<\/a>, borrow<\/a>, bake<\/a>, donate<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n

1) Declutter something<\/h2>\n\n

Living with clutter is problematic for three reasons: 1) it prevents you from being able to locate items you need which causes stress 2) it’s expensive<\/a><\/strong> and 3) it takes up mental space<\/a><\/strong> as much as it does physical space.<\/p>\n\n

Pick an area of your home and spend some time on Buy Nothing Day sifting through closets, drawers, cupboards, garages, storage units, etc. Organize the area and prepare a box (or boxes!) of things you want to part with. You may even discover a long lost treasure or two while you\u2019re at it.<\/p>\n\n

Looking for decluttering strategies? Check out Marie Kondo\u2019s book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up<\/a><\/strong>. And if you\u2019re looking for strategies to keep your home from becoming cluttered in the future, Sarah Lazarovic’s A Bunch of Pretty Things I Did Not Buy<\/a><\/strong> is a meditation on how to stop shopping for unnecessary things in the first place.<\/p>\n\n

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2) Swap something <\/h2>\n\n

Now that you\u2019ve decluttered your living space, you probably have a few items you want to let go of. And maybe you’ve got a list of items you need, either for yourself or to give as gifts.<\/p>\n\n

Luckily, we live in an age where trading platforms and online secondhand marketplaces have exploded in popularity, making it easy for people to recirculate gently used items. Online platforms like Bunz Trading Zone<\/strong><\/a> and the Freecycle Network<\/strong><\/a> make it easy to list items and search for specific things you may be looking for. Buy Nothing Groups<\/strong><\/a> on Facebook are local groups where neighbours help each other get what they need without spending money. Online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace and Kijiji can also be places to find deals on secondhand items near you.<\/p>\n\n

Communities facing COVID-19 restrictions may find this way of “shopping” particularly useful as setting up a physically distanced pick up is fairly easy.<\/p>\n\n

3) Repair something<\/h2>\n\n

If you\u2019re like me, you\u2019ve probably got a few items lying around that are perfectly good, they just need a little TLC: a lovely wool sweater that has a hole, a hand steamer that has stopped spitting steam, a favourite necklace with a broken chain. These are a few of my favourite broken things that I’ve repaired.<\/p>\n\n

There are endless DIY instructions for all kinds of repairs you can look up online (one of my favourites for stitching up holes in clothing is Sashiko mending<\/strong><\/a>). But if you feel you need guidance, look up your local Repair Caf\u00e9<\/strong><\/a> and take your item to their next event (if COVID-19 restrictions allow it in your area).<\/p>\n\n

Repair Caf\u00e9s exist all around the world<\/strong><\/a>, consisting of local \u2018fixperts\u2019 with a variety of different skill sets. They host events in community spaces and invite the public to bring their broken treasures to get them fixed. Clothing, electronics, appliances, bicycles, jewelry – you bring it, they fix it. They’ll even teach you how to do it yourself.<\/p>\n\n

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An example of Sashiko mending from VOX.com<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

4) Make something<\/h2>\n\n

Buy Nothing Day kicks off Make Smthng Week<\/a><\/strong>, a worldwide movement dedicated to bringing people together to reuse, reimagine and make or repair things together. Usually in-person events are held all around the world, but this year due to COVID, Make Smthng Week has moved online. You can still register your online event in their calendar<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n

Meanwhile, here are some inspiring DIY projects you could easily take on at home:<\/p>\n\n