Buy Nothing Day 1999:
Report from Ann Arbor, Michigan

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November 29, 1999

Buy Nothing Day in Ann Arbor was a cold and rainy day. We went to the mall with home-made signs taped to ourselves with slogans like "the future is here and money still doesn't buy happiness or love." As soon as we walked in we were asked to remove the signs or leave. Apparently, we were soliciting people by telling them NOT to buy. Also, they told us that the mall takes care to make sure there are no signs anywhere that might distract people. I guess that doesn't apply to the big wall-sized signs with store names...

Anyway, we took off our signs and performed street theatre. We were zombie shoppers, worshipping "stuff", and asking people if they knew where we could buy happiness and if they accepted visa. A half hour later, we were kicked out. We passed out our homemade "coupons" with facts about overconsumption on our way out.

Then we went downtown and flyered, wore giant posters with slogans, and set up a Christmas tree decorated with really bad ads and a plastic shopping bag garland. Downtown, we got many positive reactions from people and we had a lot of fun.

All in all, I would say the day was a success.

Jennifer R. Hefferan

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