The Day the World Stops Shopping

How Ending Consumerism Saves the Environment and Ourselves

By: J.B. MacKinnon

Narrated by: Kaleo Griffith

Consuming less is our best strategy for saving the planet—but can we do it? In this thoughtful and surprisingly optimistic book, journalist J. B. MacKinnon investigates how we may achieve a world without shopping.

We can’t stop shopping. And yet we must. This is the consumer dilemma.

The economy says we must always consume more: even the slightest drop in spending leads to widespread unemployment, bankruptcy, and home foreclosure.

The planet says we consume too much: in America, we burn the earth’s resources at a rate five times faster than it can regenerate. And despite efforts to “green” our consumption—by recycling, increasing energy efficiency, or using solar power—we have yet to see a decline in global carbon emissions.

Addressing this paradox head-on, acclaimed journalist J. B. MacKinnon asks, What would really happen if we simply stopped shopping? Is there a way to reduce our consumption to earth-saving levels without triggering economic collapse? At first this question took him around the world, seeking answers from America’s big-box stores to the hunter-gatherer cultures of Namibia to communities in Ecuador that consume at an exactly sustainable rate. Then the thought experiment came shockingly true: the coronavirus brought shopping to a halt, and MacKinnon’s ideas were tested in real time.

Drawing from experts in fields ranging from climate change to economics, MacKinnon investigates how living with less would change our planet, our society, and ourselves. Along the way, he reveals just how much we stand to gain: An investment in our physical and emotional wellness. The pleasure of caring for our possessions. Closer relationships with our natural world and one another. Imaginative and inspiring, The Day the World Stops Shopping will embolden you to envision another way.

One of the best books I’ve read

I loved that this book touched on so many different topics around consumption. From consumption in various forms (clothing and light use) to economic impact, human psychology, and ecological and environmental consequences. A balanced, informative and well written book

Would have been better as a real book.

The content was good but the narration was not great and definitely took away from my enjoyment.

Great book!

I appreciate the inclusion of preliminary information about the effects of the 2020 pandemic. The chapter on “participant” vs “consumer” lifestyle distinction was my favorite.

Read it!

Well written and researched. A missing piece of the climate change conversation that needs more attention.

Must Read!

So far this is my favorite book on environmentalism, the author offers viable solutions and ideas while pointing out all the challenges of modern life.