Instead of Black Friday, choose Green Friday

The idea behind Green Friday promises to be the opposite of Black Friday not only should shoppers profit from the sales before Christmas, but also the environment. At the end of November, the infamous Black Friday takes place once again Hundreds of stores offer them price discounts - often only supposed - bargains online and offline and make millions in sales within a few hours. Often the promotion day is extended to a weekend or even a whole week.

The advertising promises that the shoppers will benefit from huge discounts on 'Black Friday' - but what about the environment? This is where Green Friday comes in: it wants to be seen as a counter-model to Black Friday. Similar goals are pursued by White Monday, Giving Tuesday and the more radical Buy Nothing Day.

Is Green Friday better than Black Friday? 

The environment needs to gain from our willingness to purchase on "Green Friday." The specifics will depend on each retailer: Some people contribute the proceeds to charity causes while others plant trees. Is Green Friday thus preferable to Black Friday? Having permission to spend money guilt-free?

One thing is certain: Green Friday promotes more environmentally friendly consumption. With your purchases, you may improve the ecology and climate. Because of this, the majority of businesses that have participated in the campaign day thus far are those that have taken additional steps to promote sustainability or are a part of a more sustainable industry.

In some shops that participate in Green Friday, the sole gain from the purchase is to the environment. However, there may occasionally be a discount available to you as a buyer. Although most Green Friday deals don't offer discounts of more than 50%, as some Black Friday deals do, you may still save 20 to 30% and help the environment at the same time.

Green Friday's advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

• Green Friday can encourage people to shop at more environmentally friendly stores.
• It can raise awareness about the importance of shopping green and supporting businesses that are environmentally responsible.
• It can help businesses promote their green products and services.

Disadvantages:

• Green Friday can be difficult to coordinate and may not be supported by all businesses.
• It may be difficult to get people to change their shopping habits in just one day.
• Some people may view Green Friday as a gimmick and not take it seriously.

One benefit of "green Friday" is that it's a day when consumers are urged to buy sustainable and ecologically friendly goods. This promotes the benefits of making environmentally friendly purchases while also supporting companies that sell these kinds of goods. Additionally, green Friday frequently occurs when people are already shopping for holiday presents, making it an excellent time to advertise goods that are environmentally friendly and sustainable. Last but not least, green Friday can assist individuals to stick to their New Year's pledges to be more eco-aware.

Green Friday: Unfortunately also prone to greenwashing

Unfortunately, not all "green" advertising is true sustainability. For instance, Cathay Pacific Airlines frequently takes part in its own Green Friday promotion. For all flights booked throughout the campaign time, it guarantees a free CO2 offset of double the amount. The fact that superfluous flights contribute to climate change, even if they are subsequently offset, does not change the reality that this is a strategy that other airlines should adopt in theory.

Customers should thus carefully examine Green Friday deals to see whether the offered goods and services are genuinely eco-friendly. Or if a company is attempting to take advantage of the yearly Buy Happy Day for greenwashing.

As always, you should also ask yourself the following questions: Do I need the product? Isn't the item also available second-hand or to borrow?