Green Friday: An Eco-Friendly Alternative to Black Friday

Black Friday's Eco-Friendly Alternative

We’ve eaten the turkey (or tofurkey) and stuffing, and we’ve even taken a go at the dessert table. Now, for some people, this would be the perfect time to settle in and catch up with family and friends after a great meal. For others, this is the time to grab a coat and hit those Black Friday deals!

We have all heard of this infamous retail holiday, and it comes earlier and earlier each year. But here’s something most of you probably didn’t know. Black Friday has a more sustainable friend that we rarely talk about: Green Friday!

While Black Friday is certainly great for finding amazing deals, this retail holiday isn’t so good for the environment. Many of the stores that promote Black Friday sales are major retailers that have a large carbon footprint. Black Friday also tends to promote fast fashion and consumerism, causing an increase in holiday waste.

In response to this, Green Friday was born. When you join the Green Friday Movement, you can still do your holiday shopping on a budget while also promoting environmentalism and supporting small businesses. Let’s go over some ways you can help the planet this Green Friday!

Shop at local bookstores

 Let’s face it: everyone loves to curl up with a good book — especially as we begin to enter the colder months. Local bookstores are a great place to find meaningful gifts for loved ones while also being green and eco-friendly. Plus, supporting small businesses makes holiday gift shopping a much more meaningful experience. If you're looking for ideas, check out our list of the best books about climate change or best books about nature and trees.

Shop on Etsy

Over the years, Black Friday has morphed into a week-long event. While that typically means that online stores have tons of sales, the increased shipping rate that follows is bad news for the planet and carbon footprint. Fortunately for us, Etsy has thought of that! Etsy houses an array of small businesses with an emphasis on handcrafted and customizable gifts. Etsy also offsets 100% of their carbon emissions from packaging and shipping, so you can shop all of the deals with a green conscience!

Shop at sustainable businesses

Sometimes, the hardest part of shopping sustainably is finding businesses that have the same eco-friendly beliefs. Luckily, we’ve already thought of that! This holiday season, we have put together the ultimate Eco-Friendly Gift Guide to help you find the best sustainable brands and gifts for everyone on your gift. Take it a step further by shopping at local sustainable businesses near you!

Gift an experience

Instead of giving someone you love something material, gift them with memories that will last a lifetime! There are so many different experiences to choose from, including a massage, an annual pass to their favorite museum, local art or cooking classes, a planned camping trip, or even a membership to a local national park or botanical garden!

Plant a Tree!

Give the gift of trees this holiday season with our one tree planted One Tree Planted Merch! We want to give you a way to shop green this holiday season, and let’s face it: there isn’t anything greener or more eco-friendly than planting trees! Every merch item sold plants a tree!

Green Friday is a great way to shop holiday deals while still being environmentally friendly. Make it the best holiday season yet by giving your loved ones gifts that will make an impact for years to come.

Looking for one last quick item to check-out with? Why not give the gift that keeps giving and gift a tree!