VOTE BELOW: WILL YOU SHOP TODAY? 3 VERY DIFFERENT REASONS NOT TO SHOP!

BREAKING NEWS: BLACK FRIDAY BOYCOTT UNDERWAY
The boycott was initiated by protesters furious over the grand jury’s decision not to indict Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown. Stars, like Russell Simmons, are urging everyone to say no to Black Friday shopping.
When it comes to the Ferguson tragedy emotions and opinions are all over the map. But, this polarizing issue can be turned into a positive for all Americans and people around the world.
A Black Friday Shopping Boycott is a brilliant idea for many reasons. Exhibit A: this Black Friday Disasters Supercut on You Tube. But, there’s more.
THE ENVIRONMENT
A huge percentage of America’s overconsumption occurs between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. The orgy of gifts and wrapping paper is destroying forests and contributing to climate change. The Black Friday/Shop Till You Drop mentality is a very big factor in America’s outsized carbon footprint.
SAVINGS
Most Americans live paycheck to paycheck and can’t afford what they’re buying, often on credit. Thus, as shoppers destroy our planet, they simultaneously ruin their personal budgets and, with that, their chance of accumulating wealth and moving up in society. 
ADDICTION
America has devolved into an addictogenic culture, meaning the powers that be continuously drum into us the flawed concept: more is better. Americans have become hooked on a wide variety of addictive substances and behaviors. In my book Addict Nation, I make the case that everyone in America is an addict on some level. Beyond the classic addictions of alcohol and illegal drugs, there’s shopping, food, prescription pills, porn, social media… the list goes on and on. The truth is this. No object, substance or habit can make us happy. As the saying goes, happiness is an inside job. Instead of Gross National Product, perhaps we should be looking at the National Happiness Index. Right now, take a deep breath, have a moment of clarity and…  just say no to shopping on this Black Friday.
ALTERNATIVES
Give somebody a cause for the holidays. Give them something that helps a fellow human or animal. Here are just two ideas.
SMILE TRAIN FOUNDATION – provides cleft palate surgeries that change lives
FARM SANCTUARY – sponsor a pig, cow or lamb rescued from a factory farm[polldaddy poll=8483334]