A Greener Alternative to Black Friday
As the holiday season approaches, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of sales and shopping sprees. Holiday deals and online shopping have made gift-giving easier than ever. But beyond the excitement of Black Friday and Cyber Monday lies a sobering reality: it's affecting the planet more than we may think.
Overall global shopping habits have shifted, with the vast majority of purchases made online. The holiday season has a significant impact on carbon dioxide emissions, with Black Friday and Cyber Monday greatly feeding into this pattern. The increase of purchases online leads to higher emissions compared to in-store shopping. During 2022 alone, the week of Black Friday estimated that 1.2 million tons of CO2 were released in the atmosphere in Europe from delivery trucks transporting goods. With this number, it is estimated to have emission rates up to 94% higher than an average week.
Along with an increase of CO2 emissions, the consumeristic approach to Black Friday increases the production of waste. Between Thanksgiving and New Years Day, households in the U.S. throw out 25% more trash than any other time in the year. Additionally, a report estimates that up to 80% of items bought on Black Friday—including the packaging they arrive in—are thrown away after a few uses.
Black Friday’s impact on the planet is undeniable.
A greener alternative is gaining momentum: Green Friday.
Straying away from the consumeristic and wasteful culture surrounding Black Friday, the Green Friday movement aims to create awareness of these overconsumption habits and their environmental impacts. Companies and consumers alike are shifting to more sustainable and ethical options.
Here at WasteNot, we want to emphasize this greener alternative to Black Friday and encourage everyone to do the same. Unlike the traditional approach to Black Friday, we are actively working to counteract the environmental impacts of the holiday season. Our foundation of emission-free compost and recycling collection already helps to divert and reduce waste in the Chicagoland region year-round.
For the weekend of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, WasteNot is highlighting our collection services as an alternative to product consumption. The most sustainable way to approach the holiday season this year is to opt for zero-waste gifts: whether that is compost or recycling collection for yourself, service gift cards for a loved one, or even choosing compostable products delivered with zero emissions!
WasteNot Gift Cards: 1 month of free compost collection with the purchase of a WasteNot gift card (both physical and digital gift card options)
Glass Recycling Collection: 1 month of free Glass Recycling collection with the purchase of 3 months of service
Soft Plastics Recycling Collection: 1 month of free Glass Recycling collection with the purchase of 3 months of service
Holiday Tree Collection: Get early bird pricing ($8 off) when scheduling your Holiday Tree Collection
So for this season of giving, consider gifting someone a compost or recycling service subscription with Chicago’s first and only zero-emission compost service!