Let's take a deeper dive into how Black Friday affects the environment, providing insights into how plastic packaging, carbon emissions, and product returns affect the environment. We will shed light on how to live a Green Friday, i.e. an environment-friendly Black Friday, as we explore ethical alternatives such as Trees for All, Treesistance and Bindl, and we highlight True Price, an organization which provides accurate product pricing information for brands.

The Environmental Effect of Black Friday

Plastic Waste Pollution

Every year, our oceans receive up to two million tons of plastic waste. This includes items that can't be recycled or are burned, contributing to a significant environmental issue. The plastic industry, established in 1907, saw rapid growth from the 1950s, hitting a staggering 460 million tons in production by 2019.

Improving how we manage waste is key to tackling this global crisis, especially in less affluent countries. Black Friday exacerbates these environmental concerns. The event often promotes the sale of low-quality, unnecessary items, leading to increased production of plastic packaging. This surge in demand for plastic-made products, driven by the pursuit of profits, intensifies pollution issues. Our planet is increasingly burdened by plastic waste derived from consumer products, creating a cycle of environmental harm.

Carbon Emissions from Manufacturing and Transportation

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a gas that plants need for growth and that all of us release when we breathe. It's naturally present in the air and the oceans. But, when we produce and transport huge amounts of products for events like Black Friday, we end up releasing more CO2 than usual. This increase in CO2 contributes to climate change. Making smart choices and being considerate of Black Friday's carbon footprint will help reduce its negative impact on the environment.

hands handing over 3 packages to another person

Product Returns and Disposal

Black Friday leads to a substantial increase in product returns and disposal. Sadly, about 20% of these returned items are damaged beyond repair, highlighting the inefficiency and waste in the return process. This practice has a serious environmental impact, with over 10 billion pounds of returned merchandise ending up in landfills. This staggering amount of waste underscores the need for more sustainable shopping and return practices.

Green Friday: Fostering Ethical and Responsible Shopping

Green Friday, emerging from the anti-Black Friday movement, has its origins in Canada's 1992 "Buy Nothing Day". However, it wasn't until 2015 that the contemporary version of Green Friday began to gain traction. This global initiative aims to counteract the excessive consumerism typically seen during Black Friday, spotlighting its harmful effects.

Green Friday advocates for thoughtful consumption, a stark contrast to the frenzy of Black Friday. It encourages shoppers to either choose sustainable and ethical brands or make a bold statement by not buying at all. It's a dynamic movement where participating brands support environmental causes, creating a harmonious balance between business and environmental stewardship.

shadow of two hands on a banana leaf

Global Efforts for an Ethical Future

Green Friday has garnered support from various influential entities, including the European Commission, ECODES, WWF, and Ecoserveis. These organizations emphasize the importance of purchasing habits that satisfy our needs while respecting the environment. Their collaboration signifies a united effort towards global sustainable and ethical practices.

Practices Championed by Green Friday

In stark contrast to Black Friday's impulsive nature, Green Friday champions eco-friendly activities. It endorses recycling and emphasizes the importance of reusing and repurposing items. The movement also supports small businesses that prioritize eco-friendly and ethical operations, advocating for local businesses.

Additionally, Green Friday values the charm of vintage items and handmade crafts. Choosing pre-owned and artisanal products helps support a more sustainable and ethically conscious market.

Dilmah Europe's Commitment to Green Friday

Dilmah Europe has joined the Green Friday movement, reinforcing its dedication to ethical and eco-friendly purchasing. This involvement reflects a long-term commitment to sustainable practices and ethical consumption, extending beyond just one day.

many hands stacked in sign of cooperation

Choose Nature and Reforestation

Instead of buying things you don't really need and increasing pollution, help the environment by buying or gifting a tree, or by supporting products that give back to our planet.

Trees for All's Green Friday mission aims to contribute to a 25-year wooded world. They make efforts to heal the globe with tree plantings both domestically and internationally. It brings attention to the value of trees, which improves ecosystems, the climate, and the quality of life. Planting trees promotes the natural world, fights woodland loss, and aids in emission reduction projects.

If you want to contribute to nature preservation in a different way, choose a thoughtful tea experience with Dilmah's Treesistance tea, which supports ethical values and environmental sustainability. This tea supports the Green Friday objective of Trees for All by fighting deforestation and supporting the indigenous people of the Amazon, promoting global healing. Feel the wonder of nature and enjoy or gift a cup of kindness of our Dilmah x Treesistance Single Origin Supreme Ceylon Black Tea. All proceedings will go to Treesistance to help them in their noble and important cause.

woman using her hands to play with shadow on the leafs

Dilmah’s Fights Plastic Pollution

As one of Sri Lanka's leading enterprises, Dilmah Tea plays a pivotal role in environmental conservation. This reflects in our great attention to the materials of our packaging, as well as the activities we do. An example is the Marine Protection Program.

The program focuses on minimizing single-use plastics and promoting recycling and reuse, demonstrating Dilmah's dedication to sustainable practices. Since 2019, a team of 50 environmental stewards has worked to clean and preserve 50 kilometers of Sri Lanka's coastline, protecting marine life and habitats from plastic pollution.

Dilmah's efforts highlight the importance of choosing products with minimal plastic packaging, encouraging responsible consumption. By selecting products from companies committed to environmental protection, like Dilmah, consumers can help reduce the demand for plastic-heavy products and their negative impact on oceans.

Dilmah's Marine Protection Program is not just a company initiative but a broader call to action for responsible plastic use, urging both businesses and consumers to contribute to a healthier planet.

Bindl: Make a Positive Impact

For Black Friday, instead of shopping, try acting out of kindness and explore Bindl. Bindl provides an alternative by offering various environmentally positive and community-oriented activities. This approach offers a constructive way to counter the consumerism typically associated with Black Friday, focusing on sustainability and social responsibility.

What is Bindl? Bindl is a platform that facilitates eco-friendly and community-focused activities. Known as "quests," these range from simple tasks to comprehensive projects, catering to both beginners and experienced volunteers. After signing up, you can either participate in existing quests or create new ones, fostering environmental and community engagement. Additionally, Bindl rewards contributions, helping users build a green profile. Go explore the infinite possibilities of doing good for the environment and others.

Ethical Shopping and the leaders

True Price: The Ethical Pricing Organization

Are you interested in discovering what you are really paying for, or what you should be paying for? Uncover the real cost of things with True Price, a group that aims to reveal the true value of products. As Black Friday draws near, embrace a responsible and smart shopping experience with True Price, the leader in ethical pricing revision. True Price has supported an organization that goes beyond accepted economic standards since 2011.

Experience a shopping experience that goes beyond just saving money: True Price incorporates the most significant ethical issues for the environment and society into its pricing process. This Black Friday, choose True Price wisely to make a purchase that is aligned with your values and consciously become a part of the ethical shopping community.

Joe Merino: Stylish Sustainability With No Sales

Improve the way you shop on Black Friday with Joe Merino, a company that has been creating the ideal Merino wool basics since 2011. Beyond style, Joe Merino symbolizes expertise, sustainability, and luxury. On Black Friday, like all year long, they don’t do sales. Quality comes at a price, and discounting that price would mean underpaying their workers, or cutting costs on raw materials, hence cutting quality. You can save by buying in bundles. Joe Merino uses wool that is gentle to animals and long-lasting materials as part of his loyalty to environmental responsibility. Discover a brand that successfully combines sustainability and style, demonstrating that looking good can come from doing good.

Dilmah Tea: Quality and Kindness

At Dilmah Europe we decided that on our new dilmahtea.me site we won’t do sales, as we do not underpay our workers or cut on the quality of our tea. Inspired by Joe Merino, in the near future, the more you will indulge in our teas, the more you will save. By choosing to buy in a bundle you are also helping us reduce packaging costs. This will be our way of saying thank you for making a choice that benefits both the planet and your palate.

We also believe in fair rewards for honest work, so we will not provide free delivery, as it would go at the expense of our couriers. We want to give parcel packers and postal deliverers a well-deserved good profit and not let Dilmah bear the costs, which is at the expense of the ethical values we strive for together with you. That also means a fair price for delivery.

delivery man at work, smiling sitting in his van

Conclusion

The popular shopping day Black Friday has an enormous effect on the environment. It causes, among others, an increase of waste and plastic garbage, and higher carbon emissions. In conclusion, as Black Friday approaches, it's vital to shift our focus towards ethical and responsible shopping. Embracing initiatives like Green Friday, and supporting organizations like Trees for All, True Price and Joe Merino, we can make choices that benefit both the planet and our communities. From exploring eco-friendly quests with Bindl, to supporting Treesistance, there are numerous ways to contribute positively. This Black Friday, let's challenge the norms of consumerism and choose actions that foster sustainability, environmental health, and ethical practices.