Green Friday is a worldwide movement that coincides with the day designated as Black Friday. While Black Friday focuses on getting great deals, Green Friday is meant to promote a more mindful approach when shopping. This is done by encouraging consumers to buy from more ethical and sustainable brands or choosing not to shop to help curb the overconsumption of goods. The idea is to support brands that work to help improve the world around us and become more conscious about how our shopping and consumption habits affect the world.
You can do this by researching the brands you choose to buy from and how they source, manufacture, and distribute their products. You can also investigate their corporate culture by seeing the causes they support and the certifications they may have. This can be done through the company’s website most of the time. Below are some items to look for on a company’s website to look for when trying to support a company that is sustainable.
- Sustainable certifications
- Certifications are a great indicator of the values of the company and what they want to support. Good sustainable certifications to look for include the B Corporation certification, 1% for the planet, and climate neutral. These certifications are given to companies that benefit the planet which includes neutralizing their carbon footprint and giving away a percentage of their profit to certified environmental organizations.
- Product distribution/sourcing
- Another thing to look for is where a company chooses to source their products from and how they handle their distribution. Sourcing closer to their warehouse or using more environmentally friendly distribution methods are ways companies can reduce their carbon footprint. This includes limiting carbon emissions through the movement of products and limiting their contribution to landfills.
- Product waste
- The ways companies choose to dispose of their products is another vital thing to look for when trying to be more sustainable. Companies like Patagonia offer the ability to repair their items to reduce waste. Other companies will take advantage of broken-down products and reuse them in other ways. This is a process called cradle-to-grave where parts or the entire product gets recycled into something new.
While shopping this holiday season, be sure to be mindful of the items you buy and companies you choose to support. Do your research and take time to consider what you need rather than rushing into a purchase at a sale- who knows, you may end up saving money in the long run.
To learn more about the cradle-to cradle certification follow the link below
Cradle to Cradle Certified® – Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute (c2ccertified.org)