Shop Responsibly with Reverend Billy Today on Meet the Bloggers

Posted by ZP Heller, Meet the Bloggers at 7:00 AM on December 5, 2008.

The recent Black Friday tragedies at Wal-Mart in New York and Toys "R" Us in California may finally help break the spell of mindless consumerism and rampant commercialism. We're taking up that cause in today's Meet the Bloggers with Rev. Billy and Savitra D of the Church of Stop Shopping and the documentary What Would Jesus Buy?  They will join host Cenk Uygur and blogger Latoya Peterson (NewDream.org) to discuss ways of avoiding sweatshop purchases, staying out of the malls and big box stores, and how to put more meaning into the holidays without putting more stuff under the tree.

Alarmingly, 90% of what's purchased this holiday will end up in a landfill within six months.  And with Americans carrying more than $2.59 trillion in consumer debt, it's time we started celebrating a happy, cruelty-free, sustainable holiday.  Check out the material below, watch the latest episode, and join us for the live blog today on Meet the Bloggers at 1pm ET/10am PT to let the celebration begin.  And if you miss the live blog, visit MeetTheBloggers.org any time to watch the full episode.

• Reverend Billy & The Church of Stop Shopping
• What Would Jesus Buy? 
• Wal-Mart Shoppers Trample and Kill Jdimytai Damour, Keep Shopping -- Baratunde Thurston, Jack & Jill Politics
• The Average Household Spent $1,760 on Clothes in 2007 -- Here's One Way to Cut Back -- Stan Cox, CounterPunch
• Center for a New American Dream
• Credit Card Nation
• Co-op America Responsible Shopping

Instead of buying more useless stuff this holiday season, consider honoring someone who has inspired you by

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Tagged as: reverend billy, church of stop shopping

ZP Heller is the editorial director of Brave New Films. He has written for The American Prospect, AlterNet, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Huffington Post, covering everything from politics to pop culture.