The day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday, one of the busiest shopping days in the county. But some people are trying to turn Black Friday green and instead observe Buy Nothing Day, a day to examine over consumption. Maybe get outside a little, maybe hang out with some friends, maybe keep on thinking about what you’re grateful for. Fun, right?

If you’d like to get together with others for some non-consumption solidarity, there will be a group gathering at noon outside the Westerfield Mall in San Francisco, near the Powell Street BART station. Cassandra Ann Chapman, who can be contacted at casiodeux@gmail.com, is organizing this event.

Buy Nothing Day was started by Canadian artist Ted Dave and promoted by Adbusters Magazine, which is based in Canada. Those Canadians. Always up to something. There has been some criticism of Buy Nothing Day by various groups who charge that just one day won’t make a difference. One of those critical articles, which appeared in The Tyee, an online Canadian (Canada again!) magazine is here. Ridiculous or full of good points? What do you think? Adbusters states that it’s not about not shopping for just one day, but about changing habits of consumption and waste in general. And how can that really be so bad?