The day after Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the following Saturday (in other parts of the world) is the biggest shopping day of the year. The Black Friday gimmick has continually fueled relentless advertising campaigns from major corporations. Thier purpose? To convince shoppers they need to consume more at lower prices while cleverly connecting consumerism to the holiday spirit. Last year, over the 4 day weekend, consumers in the US spent over $59 billion.
Few people stop to think about the ramifications of these actions. Who is actually benefiting from this zombie-like shopping frenzy? Where are these products coming from and who is painstakingly making them? What are the CO2 emissions from production and transportation of this stuff? How much of the planet was sacrificed to produce these products? Can the world survive ever-increasing shopping and consumption in perpetuity?
At GrowthBusters we think we can all improve our lives if we step back and find more meaninful ways to honor our holiday traditions - ways that don't take a heavy toll on the planet, and ways that better connect with the human spirit. This year, take the pledge to consider these important questions before you shop. Vow to stay away from the malls during this time. We'll be spending time with our families, coming up with alternative gift ideas, and watching a free screening of the documentary, Hooked on Growth. Information can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/BlackFridayBusters Please join us and take the pledge!
