Buy Nothing Day

It is commonly said that nowadays we live better than ever. This fact is true in many ways. For example, thanks to science we have been able to combat and eliminate many diseases. In terms of technology, we have been able to develop a diversity of devices that allow us to know and learn more about the environment that surrounds us and at the same time, allows us to have fun or have leisurely moments.

However, every coin has two sides. For this reason the present day is the age of contradictions of opinions, inventions and actions. To illustrate this idea, we could think whether we prefer quality to quantity; or if we prefer effectiveness to productivity.

This paradox is practically inevitable. Since we have covered all our basic needs (education, health, technology among many), we have overstretched ourselves and we have fallen into the trend of 'having' and so we are forgetting 'to be'. Just so, we could understand for instance, why the fashion industry is currently the second most polluting on the planet !

In this sense, considering having a day to not buy anything, could make us more aware of whether we really need what we want to buy. Likewise, it would help us to be more selective and of course, it would be more respectful of the environment.

Maybe the Buy Nothing Day does not have much economic impact, but it is a good opportunity to remind the inhabitants to be conscious of the choice: buying to live or living to buy, as the 'slow movement' does.