Green Tips: Black Friday/Cyber Monday

Black Friday and Cyber Monday offer some of the best annual sales. However, they are also the heaviest consumerism days of the year, intensifying an already significant problem of electronic, clothing, and plastic waste. A 2019 survey found that up to 61% percent of Americans received an unwanted gift during the holidays, much of which will end up in landfills. Below are some tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint this season while still enjoying the discounts. 

• Try to buy locally, supporting both small businesses and your local economy.
• If ordering from online retailers, choose stores with warehouses located closer to you to avoid high transportation carbon emissions. 
• Consider taking public transportation to your shopping destination, rather than driving your car.
• To avoid overloading delivery drivers and increasing the amount of delivery vehicles on the road, choose a longer shipping time over next-day delivery. 
• Only buy items you would also buy if they were not on sale and will actually use or wear.
• Bring your own shopping bags if shopping in-person, to avoid unnecessary paper and plastic bag waste.
• If you are unhappy with your purchases, try giving them to family and friends or donating them instead of throwing them away. 
• If you are planning to buy brand new electronics, turn in your old ones to electronic retailers such as Best Buy or Amazon.
• Buy products from ethical or sustainable brands to reduce the emissions of not just the delivery, but the products themselves.
• Instead of buying material items, take advantage of experiences such as live music, theater, or art exhibitions.

This holiday season, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are excellent opportunities to take advantage of great sales and save money. If participating, limiting your purchases and being conscious of transportation CO2 emissions are excellent ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Thanks for reading this week’s Green Tips!

Submitted By Michaela Stones