It's that time again: Black Friday and Cyber Monday are coming up, prompting us to shop and buy. But what if we asked ourselves honestly whether we need all this? How about turning Black Friday into Green Friday instead?

The idea of Green Friday isn't new. But the encouragement for more sustainability on this day has become more and more popular in recent years.

Here are some ideas on how you can avoid the temptations and make your Black Friday more sustainable and conscious.

Background of Black Friday and the rise of Green Friday

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are among the biggest shopping days of the year. Black Friday happens on the fourth Friday of November and was created in the 80s in the US. It's usually also the day when the Christmas shopping season starts.

On Black Friday, merchants and brands push us to buy with special offers and discounts. But let's ask ourselves: Why buy and consume more? Why have more of what we probably don't need? And why use even more resources than our planet can handle?

What if we reflected on what we have, what we actually need, or what we can give?

In fact, more and more people and companies ask themselves these questions, so in recent years, the movement of ‘Green Friday’ has become more popular. There are initiatives like Buy Nothing Day, for instance. Also, many companies offer sustainable products or choose to donate the income of this day to charity or organisations that promote sustainability.

So, instead of locking ourselves in and waiting for these crazy days to be over, let's do something good! Let’s come up with some meaningful and more sustainable ideas to turn this day into something positive.

We put together a few ideas to spend this day a little more consciously and sustainably. And maybe you'll find some inspiration here.

3 ideas to shop more consciously on Black Friday

Create a list of things you really need

We've all been there. We see a great offer and strike. Why? Well, because the price is just too good. We'd be stupid not to buy it. And we'll never get it that cheap again. Sounds familiar?

If you don't want to fall into this trap this year, make a list of things you really need. Things that have a real benefit and bring you real added value. With this list in mind, you're well prepared and it reminds you to only buy what you really need.

Stock up on essentials

You probably have some favourite things that you always need and always have at home, but which are quite expensive. On Black Friday, you could keep an eye out to see if these products are on sale at a lower price and stock up on them. This way you save (which is not the worst thing in these times), but only buy things you need. And you might even be able to support your favourite local shop, which will surely be happy about your purchase too.

Shop for a good cause

Likely you have topics of the heart that are very important to you, environmental protection, animal welfare, and human rights, for instance. Is there an animal shelter in your neighbourhood, an organisation that stands up for human rights or minorities, or initiatives for more environmental protection? Is there an initiative for refugees from Ukraine in your city to which you can make a donation or support with supplies? These organisations are always happy to receive donations. And if you don’t want to anonymously donate, ask them how you can best support them.

5 ideas for alternative things to do on Black Friday

But of course, there are other ways to spend the day. So instead of spending the day shopping, how about these alternative ideas?

Go for a walk and get in touch with nature

Get out of the house and discover the beauty of nature. A long walk in the forest allows your mind and soul to rest. It’s also a great way to spend some time with yourself. With busy Christmas festivities coming up, it can do you good to have a little time for yourself beforehand.

Spend time with family and friends

It’s always nice to spend time with loved ones. Why not pay your family a visit again or meet up with friends for a coffee? Bring a small gift, have a cooking session together, or have a board games evening. The possibilities for this sort of quality time are many.

Give your Christmas presents a creative twist

This day may tempt you to buy presents for Christmas. But you can also get creative and design your own gifts with a personal touch.

I once surprised my family with a self-written Christmas story featuring all my family members. We all got together in the living room and everyone got a Christmas card with a part of the story to read. It was a wonderful Christmas evening.

Get involved in volunteer or charity work

If you have a non-profit or charity organisation in your neighbourhood that you would like to get involved with or are already involved with, why not do some volunteer work? It's a nice way to give back to the community, and will also make you feel good about doing something meaningful. Win-win!

Get sporty

We all know that sporting activities are good for our health but also our well-being. So how about a little workout or a run in the park? I’m an avid runner and will definitely go for a long run.

As you can see, instead of compulsive shopping or excessive consumption, you can spend the day more sustainably and do something that can really fill your life.

Do you have any more ideas? Let us know what you usually do during this day.

Consume more consciously: How to make your Black Friday more sustainable