Black Friday, the day meant to mark the start of the holiday shopping season, has taken hold across the globe – and unfortunately, its effects can be seen in shopping malls and landfills alike. It’s disheartening to see that an activity like holiday shopping (or treat yourself shopping, we do not judge) has such a harsh impact on the environment.
But what can one do if they still want to scratch that shopping itch?
In 2015, a new idea came together that sought to solve this conundrum: still enjoy holiday shopping while supporting local and more sustainable businesses, ultimately minimizing our impact on the planet. Folks have come to call it Green Friday.
Shopping Green and Sustainable
What does a sustainable business look like? Well, you’re on a website for easily one of the most sustainable businesses possible – thrift shops! Stores like Bissell Thrift Shop take pre-loved items that would be destined for a landfill otherwise and ensure they find a new home and continued life.
Our thrift shops are even taking a step further in our sustainable mission. This past year, new solar panels were installed on the Alberta Avenue location and much of the labour hired for the installation came from Bissell Centre’s Workforce Development program. Both of our thrift shops are also drop off locations for unwanted electronics, where they’ll either be refurbished to someone needing them or recycled to help reduce the amount of mining for new materials needed for these devices.
Supporting local is another huge part of Green Friday. By shopping at Bissell Thrift Shop, it’s also an opportunity to support life-changing programs from Bissell Centre. Eighty-nine cents from every dollar spent at our thrift shops goes directly back into the programs that help support our city’s most vulnerable – especially during this frigid and difficult time of year.
Can We Do More?
There are always ways to make our lives and shopping less wasteful and more mindful. Waste Free Edmonton looked specifically at how we can all reduce our waste during this time of year and came up with a handy guide for how to make your holidays waste free.
The Waste Free Holiday guide was released in 2019 and it outlines how to reduce waste from decorations, gifts, food, and even gift wrapping! The ideas shared in this guide are practical, simple to follow, and help make the holiday season even more sustainable.
There are countless ways we can change how we celebrate the holiday season to be more mindful of our impact on each other and the planet. A lot of that starts with changing our thinking around consumerism. By being more conscientious about what we buy, where we buy from, how we give gifts, and how much we waste, we can live more equitably without sacrificing the magic and wonder that comes with this time of year.