Greener ways to shop Black Friday

Shoppers who are braving the chilly temperatures of the early morning hours may have sales on their minds, but they can ensure Black Friday shopping suits their environmental ideals as well.

TEAM UP

Come Black Friday, shoppers can travel to stores together to reduce the amount of vehicles on the road. Carpooling or ridesharing to stores can prevent excessive vehicle emissions. Carpooling also has the added benefit of allowing drivers to utilize carpool lanes on major highways. This keeps cars moving at steady speeds, improving fuel efficiency and reducing the likelihood that fuel will be wasted while sitting in stop-and-go traffic.

BRING REUSABLE TOTE BAGS

Black Friday shoppers shouldn’t forget to pack tote bags among their shopping supplies. Reusable bags help cut down on the waste produced from plastic or paper shopping bags. Tote bags tend to be durable as well, which may make it easier for shoppers to carry around all of the items they purchase on Black Friday.

LOOK FOR MINIMAL PACKAGING

When making purchases, choose items that feature the least amount of packaging. Items with minimal packaging will result in a lot less waste making its way into landfills.

OPT FOR EMAILED RECEIPTS

Many retailers now give shoppers the option to have their receipts emailed to them. At checkout, consumers can click the button for an e-receipt, saving ink and paper. This option also may make it easier to organize and catalog receipts at home for budgeting or facilitating returns after Christmas has passed.

BRING ALONG A COFFEE THERMOS

Waking up early in the morning can leave even the most seasoned early-risers feeling a bit bleary-eyed. Many such shoppers rely on a jolt of fresh-brewed caffeine to get moving. Shoppers can skip disposable coffee cups that fill up landfills and bring along their own reusable insulated mugs or thermoses. Some coffee vendors may even provide refills at discounted costs.