"A nonprofit organization run out of the mayor's office" in New York City, GrowNYC, is organizing meetings for people to trade things for free, the New York Times reports, quoting the group's executive director as saying he hopes to "get people thinking about maybe not buying things...reducing consumerism and, as a result, reducing their impact on the overall environment one item at a time."
Well there's an interesting approach to economic development. The Times article does not disclose that among two members of the GrowNYC board of directors are Jacqueline Dryfoos and Marian Heiskell, two members of the family that controls the New York Times Company. I wonder how they'd feel if some non-profit run out of the mayor's office started encouraging people to consider "maybe not buying" copies of the New York Times, or "maybe not buying" advertising in it, thereby "reducing consumerism and, as a result, reducing their impact on the overall environment one item at a time." The result of people following such advice would probably be that Dr. Dryfoos and Ms. Heiskell would have less funds available to donate to nonprofits like GrowNYC that, occasional bursts of silliness such as this one aside, overall probably do a lot of good for the city. It's the groups "run out of the mayor's office," with its ability to fund itself by taxes taken from residents by government force, that have the luxury to dismiss businesses that make their money by selling things.