Simple Living

International Buy Nothing Day, the annual 24-hour period of no shopping and anti-consumer activism, will be observed this year in the United States on November 29. Buy Nothing Day events will take place in a total of 40 countries this year, encompassing theater and celebrations as well as more militant protests and actions.

The Guardian reports that in London, activists will dress up as human credit cards, while others will dress as shopping police and hand out Buy Nothing Day fines to people carrying too many shopping bags.

In the United States and Canada there have been banner drops and credit card cut-ups, as well as attempts to buy advertising space to promote buying nothing on major television networks. Wired tells of one California woman's plans to hang out in front of a shopping mall dressed as "Satan Claus" and hand out gift exemption vouchers.

The United Kingdom's Buy Nothing Day Web site offers 101 things to do with your day besides shopping, including "practice tai-chi in public (e.g. in front of Starbucks in order to spread the 'non-capitalistic' vibe), grow your own beansprouts, and discuss your last 10 purchases with a family member or friend - did they really bring you any happiness?"

In an expansion on the Buy Nothing Day theme, the Canadian Mennonites are promoting Buy Nothing Christmas, "a movement to de-commercialize Christmas and redesign a Christian lifestyle that is richer in meaning, smaller in impact upon the earth, and greater in giving to people less privileged."

Another take on holiday buying: No Sweat!

[11-27-02]

Many groups are working to offer alternatives to clothing manufactured by underpaid workers in sweat-shop conditions. Organizations and entrepreneurs are striving to offer alternatives. Here are some resources, thanks to Global Exchange.

You might start by downloading Global Exchange's own "Socially Responsible Shopping Guide."

Give your business to two new enterprises that have been set up to take the sweatshops out of our clothing. Especially if you are a member of a group that frequently buys large number of custom made tee shirts for events, these are great places to support.

SweatX:

807 Mateo Street,
Los Angeles, CA 90021
Tel: 213-362-9001
Orders Only (toll free): 866-4SweatX
Fax: 213-327-0099
http://www.sweatx.net/

No Sweat Apparel:
36 Border Street
W. Newton, Ma.
02465
Phone: 617-527-2551
http://NoSweatApparel.com/

And, finally, you can support producers in the world's poor countries by shopping Fair Trade. You can locate the nearest Fair Trade retailer near you by visiting the website of the Fair Trade Federation,
http://www.fairtradefederation.org/

A major
Ghost Ranch event this summer!

July 28 - August 3, 2008

Paths toward Peace and Justice:
Spirituality, Earth-Care, and the Prophetic Word in a time of Violence

More info >>

If you like what you find here,
we hope you'll help us keep this website going ... and growing!

Please consider making a special contribution -- large or small -- to help us continue and improve this service.

Click here to send a gift online, using your credit card, through PayPal.

Or send your check, made out to "Witherspoon Society" and marked "web site," to our Witherspoon Bookkeeper:

Susan Robertson
9650 Clover Circle
Eden Prairie, MN 55347

An index of our reports from

BECOMING NEIGHBORS:
An Invitation
to Global Discipleship

A Witherspoon conference
on global mission and justice

September 16 - 19, 2007
Louisville, Kentucky

Check out our report from the Conference
on
Terror, Torture,
and Security