Do you want a sustainable Black Friday? It’s possible!
It is this time of the year, and I don’t mean Christmas yet. It is the week when all people in the developed part of the world buy everything they need/want with discounts – Black Friday and Cyber Monday! How to survive and not buy EVERYTHING? Is it possible to make Black Friday greener and Cyber Monday more sustainable? Spoiler: yes, there is always a way to be more environmentally friendly.
- It is good to “clean” your wardrobe before Black Friday, so you don’t buy what you don’t need. To be more conscious about the environment, you can also repair/refurbish your old clothes or shoes. Make a list of essential things you need to buy for the upcoming season. The more you buy, the more massive wave of non-recyclable waste there is!
- Think of how much money there is in your wallet. Make a strict budget, and don’t overspend on clothes and shoes!
- Ethical shopping is a sustainable one! Choose green brands. You can check their workflow, how much their workers get paid, what material they use in production, etc. Do not believe in greenwashing. Although it might be difficult to verify, you can look at third-party research and analyst reports. You can always check the product’s ingredient list. Fair green products have clear labels made by an official vetting organisation.
- Buy clothes made from sustainable materials. Don’t buy synthetic ones because they produce microplastic when washing. 35% of microplastic in oceans comes from grey water from washing machines! Natural, cruelty-free products made with sustainable materials are what you need!
- Don’t buy online: instead, go by public transport to a mall. Online shopping seems to be a more sustainable option. It is even worse than the old-school way of shopping. Online shops create more waste because of delivery. Add to that the delivery itself. The things you order may be transported from other countries by plane or car to your home. Exclude at least gasoline from your unstoppable desire for shopping and environmental footprint.
- If you need to buy something produced in another country, try to put purchases in one order. It is always better to have one delivery with many items than each delivered separately.
- Everyone wants to get the package as fast as possible. However, it is unfavourable for our planet. Slower delivery includes less transport. Therefore, less fossil fuel burning, less greenhouse gas production, and less air pollution.
- Think of local brands! Support businesses around you which use local materials and don’t deliver from overseas – the shop may be located right next to your building. Moreover, a purchase from a local shop is more authentic – not everyone can buy it, but the jeans from a well-known brand won’t be exclusive.
- Buy secondhand! It is an effective way to reduce waste and air pollution. Many people don’t wear their clothes for a long time because they love to change them. There is nothing wrong with that! But instead of going to the mass market to buy a new coat, look for a secondhand one that was worn a few times and still looks good.
Have a great and sustainable shopping!
