Black Friday Seriously Harms our Planet

Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping events of the year in North America, and every year it is expected to generate billions of dollars in sales for clothing and other consumer goods. With hopes to kickstart the big shopping season, when some people start Christmas shopping, Black Friday is characterized by the drastic price reductions, discounts, and special offers offered by some of the most-loved brands by consumers. Over its rise to popularity, some big retailers have adopted the holiday to span a week-long period of “unbelievable” or limited-time-only deals.

This offer influences consumers and often ends up purchasing products on Black Friday even when there is no absolute necessity. This can be best explored through the popular Black Friday deals to upgrade electronics and appliances to newer models at a discounted price. The marketed availability of these promotions is one of the strategies that the holiday incorporates to influence consumer behaviours that favour unnecessary consumption. As well, the popularity of lining up and waiting for the release of certain promotions portrays Black Friday consumption as a race to accumulate the most goods at the cheapest price.

The fashion industry has been called out time and time again for its contribution to environmental degradation, and the accumulation of plastic and waste in the atmosphere. According to the UN environment programme, the fashion industry produces roughly 20% of global wastewater and 10% of global carbon emissions. Textile waste and production have been linked to nearby water systems’ pollution, filling rivers and seas with toxic chemicals long before products hit the shelves. Beyond the production of textiles, this also means that there is more wasteful packaging and more fuel burned from the transportation of goods. While these stand-alone statistics remind us of the terrifying threats our global consumption casts upon the future of environmental sustainability, there is pressure on consumers to critically think about the ways in which they are targeted on Black Friday to engage in reckless and unnecessary consumption, while also contributing to the negative implications on the environment.

Originating in Vancouver, Canada, “Buy Nothing Day” is a social movement that is celebrated on Black Friday that was conceived as a protest against consumerism. The notion of Buy Nothing Day is to counteract the chaos of the exorbitant amounts of waste and unnecessary spending that occur during the seasons of Thanksgiving and Christmas. It has arisen as a response to the concerns of hyperconsumption that have plagued Western society, pressuring consumers to take a break from shopping for a day and reflect on what is truly needed.

This Black Friday, challenge yourself to consider the ways in which clothing can be re-loved in a new way and the ways in which the fleeting thrill of reckless spending on this holiday comes with concerning environmental caveats.