International Buy Nothing Day 2000

November 16, 2000

Buy Nothing Day resources

(By
Here are some of my priliminary notes concerning consumerism. Use them and share them freely. Thank you to everyone who sent me tips and all the good people who created great web sites that I drew from. If you see any errors or have any constructive suggestions, please do not hesitate to . Cheers and good look with your efforts.

• The Effects of Over-Consumption
• Suggestions for Sustainable Consumption
• Some Quotes
• Some Facts
• Learn more (websites and books)

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The Effects of Over-Consumption

• Environment
  • Extraction of raw materials (depletion of natural resources
  • Pollution from processing, transportation
  • Creation of Waste
• Energy used
  • Transportation
  • Manufacturing
• Waste of capital
  • On Marketing
  • Production and distribution
• Labor
  • International Competition = Exploitation of workers (Sweat shops)
• Personal (the consumer)
  • Over worked to support consumption
  • Ignoring of human values for consumerist ones
  • Self deprecation caused by glamour ads
  • Lack of individuality (you are not defined by what you buy)
• Neglected People
  • Large portions of the worlds community is starving and living in utter poverty even though there are enough resources to give everyone a healthy life
  • Friends and family of over worked individuals

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Suggestions for Sustainable Consumption

• Buy less, buy only what you really need
• Choose ethical companies first. Learn about the processing of goods you want to buy
• Avoid goods with excessive packaging
• Shop domestically
• Ignore ads and brand marketing
• Repair products
• Use reusable products rather than disposable ones
• Recycle
• Write to you local government and ask what they are doing to support sustainable consumption.

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Some Quotes

To achieve sustainable development and a higher quality of life for all people, states should reduce and eliminate unsustainable patterns of production and consumption... (our emphasis)
Principle 8, The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, 1992

There is enough on earth for everybody's need, but not for everyone's greed.
Mahatma Gandhi

The large majority of the world is suffering because of our selfish, irresponsible and over privileged consumerist society.
Many good people who read and think

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Some Facts

People in the richest countries in the North eat on average 30-40 percent more calories than they need.
G Lean, Atlas of the Environment, Arrow 1991

Humans consume 40 percent of the earth's yearly plant production. If the global population doubles to over 10 million in the next 35 years as projected, we will consume over 80 percent, this is providing no increase in living standards for the world's poor majority.
Investing in Natural Capital, Rees and Wackernagel, Island Press, 1994

20 percent of the world's population consume 86 percent of the world's resources
UNDP 1998 Report

The UN estimates that it would cost NZ$50 billion to provide safe water, education, housing and basic medical requirements to the whole world. The world spends more than this yearly on golf.
Pacific World, Pacific Institute of Resource Management, 1995, Wellington

More FACTS available from:
www.undp.org/hdro
www.ecofuture.org/pk/pkar9506.html

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Learn more

• Websites
  • Co-op America (a great ethical consumer resource!)
  • Enough - Anti-consumerism campaign
  • The Center for a New American Dream: Commercial Culture
  • Ad Busters
  • @World Buy Nothing Day
  • UN - Sustainable Development Site
• Books
  • Consumerism : As a Way of Life by Steven Miles
  • No Logo by Naomi Klein
  • Culture Jam : How to Reverse America's Suicidal Consumer Binge-And Why We Must by Kalle Lasn.
  • Do Americans Shop Too Much? by Juliet Shor, Joshua Cohen (Editor), Joel Rogers (Editor), Ralph Nader