Tips for Making Black Friday Green Friday
Did you know that Americans generate 25% more waste between Thanksgiving and New Year's than any other time of year? It’s true, but the most wonderful time of year doesn’t have to be the most wasteful time of year. You can still celebrate the holidays and give gifts without any love lost between you and your family or the environment. So let’s reclaim Black Friday, together! Here are some ideas from our community for turning a traditionally wasteful day on its head!
Give an experience. Some of the best advice we’ve heard about the holidays is that gifts don’t have to involve mountains of plastic packaging, or packaging at all. In fact, people often remember experiences more fondly than they remember things, so why not lean into that? Try giving tickets to a concert, a meal at a beloved local restaurant, or a trip to a National Park you’ve always wanted to visit.
Give a homemade gift. If you’re crafty and you know it, clap your hands! Homemade gifts aren’t just great because they don’t come wrapped in plastic, they’re also an incredibly touching way to let someone know you care about them. Homemade gifts like a piece of artwork, something hand-knitted, or a batch of homemade hot sauce or baked goods are a one-of-a-kind gift.
Make a donation in their name. If a loved one insists they don’t need anything, why not donate in their name to a nonprofit they support? It’s a great way to flip the script of the holiday season from getting things to giving back.
Give a Ridwell gift card. Okay we’re biased here, but if you’re struggling to shop for someone who has it all, look no further than a Ridwell gift card. Buying one is quick and easy and it’s the ultimate gift you can feel good about giving. For every gift card sold, we’ll donate $10 to our community supported membership fund to help folks get access to Ridwell that might not be able to afford it otherwise.
Re-think wrapping paper. If you want to buy someone a physical present, but still want to cut down on waste, try wrapping it in something other than wrapping paper. This is a great way to reuse newspaper or upcycle a box that something else came in, or put that shopping bag you haven’t wanted to throw away to good use.
We hope this list offers you some food for thought as you work through your shopping list this holiday season. May this Black Friday be the greenest one yet!