Buy Nothing Day: Turning Black Friday Green

A history of Black Friday and an invitation to share ideas on loving what we already own!

By Alice Bourne-Wooldridge, Community Climate Action Champion

Black Friday started as an American tradition in the 1960s, to mark the start of the Christmas holiday shopping period. When American owned retailers began to introduce Black Friday sales in UK stores, British retailers were quick to catch on to the opportunity to boost sales. By 2013, the event had become extremely popular in the UK.

With its financial appeal to businesses and the increase in popularity from consumers, Black Friday has become a day for the diary. We are encouraged by the flood of advertising that begins in early November to shop for deals.

Did you know? ‘Black ink was used in accounts when there had been a profit from the day’s sales. This is how ‘Black Friday’ was given its name.

There are times when Black Friday can offer a good opportunity to purchase a much needed item at a discounted price but, the rest of the time,  we don’t need a lot of the stuff being advertised. Buy Nothing Day is the less talked about alternative, which first started on Black Friday in 1992 to boycott consumerism.  Caring for what we already own rather than replacing it is the most environmentally friendly (and cheapest) option.

This year, instead of making a purchase, see what you can do with what you already have. Why not repair a well-loved item or dig out that thing you thought you might have lost? You could even have a clear out!

Get in touch to let us know how you choose to turn Black Friday green this year!

Contact details:

Facebook - Lockleaze Community Climate Action | Facebook

Twitter - https://twitter.com/LockleazeHub

Email - alicebw@lockleazent.co.uk