International Buy Nothing Day, held on the 27th November 1998 challenges the shopaholics amongst us to abstain from consumer spending for 24 hours.

But much more than that, it asks us to think about what we buy, and whether consuming more actually increases our quality of life.

Buy Nothing Day aims to draw attention to the implications of our purchase habits in terms of the environment, employment, advertising and working conditions of people, both locally and globally.

A recent UN report* showed that the wealthiest 20% of the world's population consumes 86% of the world's goods and services, while the poorest 20% get 1.3% . Buy Nothing Day wants us to address these disparities through individual, national and international initiatives.

The day is neither anti-retailer nor anti-trade, as some have asserted, but encourages people to think before they purchase, to reduce what they find useless in their lives and to re-use and recycle where possible.

As one Buy Nothing Day representative, Stuart Sontier said, "I'm certainly not against retailing, but if our economic and social improvement is so dependent on buying more things like Teletubbies then perhaps it is time to rethink the values of our society".

The general message is one that many organisations have taken up. Friends of the Earth, who endorse Buy Nothing Day, have long been involved with sustainable development issues. Even the Auckland Regional Council promotion of the "reduce, reuse, recycle" model, reflects the growth in awareness of overconsumption.

Buy Nothing Day focuses on the more affluent countries and the affluent in the poorer countries. As the UNDP report points out, one child in a developed country will consume, waste and pollute the equivalent of more than 50 children in a developing country.

Buy Nothing Day is a day to be aware of advertising messages, promotions and marketing tactics; to consciously recognise the difference between wanting and needing. Buy nothing and appreciate what you already have. We expect activity on the day to include several centres in New Zealand as well as in countries around the world.

* The UN Development Programme 1998 Human Development Report

Jon Karapiet ph (09) 815 3370 Day/ Evening

Murray Sheard ph: 09) 424 3368
Email: m.sheard@auckland.ac.nz

Stuart Sontier ph (09) 620 6018
Email: stu@ihug.co.nz