CRAFTIVISM: 2 kensignton shops shut for buy nothing day

An interesting initiative from Kensington Market neighbours Left Feet and Heart on Your Sleeve, a Vegetarian and Sweatshop-free shoe store and Ethical & Eco-friendly fashion boutique.

In observation of "Buy Nothing Day", both shops are shutting ‘er down on what is normally one of the biggest shopping days in North America - November 23rd.

“The stores' founders, Steven Fish and Natalie Stephenson, are doing so in an effort to highlight the part that businesses have to play in reducing our global environmental impact. They are confident that their customers will understand, and would love to see other retailers do the same thing.

Steven explains: "Yes, at a basic level we do make our living selling things. But we don't support aimless, rampant consumerism. We're in the business of ethical retail here, and we support other activists who want to encourage less, more meaningful, buying, and want to take a one day holiday from all consumption"

For those of you unfamiliar with Buy Nothing Day, Adbusters explains it thusly: it "isn't just about changing your habits for one day" but "about starting a lasting lifestyle commitment to consuming less and producing less waste."

more information about Buy Nothing Day