Black Friday is consumerism gone crazy, inducing many of us to buy things we don’t want or need, and spending more than we can afford. As much as £2bn is spent in a single 24 hours in the UK, where people camp out all night and get into fights over the 'best' deals.

For me, my journey to zero waste hasn’t just been about reducing the rubbish I produce, it’s also been about reducing the amount of stuff that I own, so Black Friday as a whole goes against this. That said if you need to replace something that is broken beyond repair, or it's something you desperately need then it’s a great chance to buy quality items that will last you a lifetime.

1. Make A Shopping List

If you are planning on hitting Black Friday make yourself a shopping list beforehand. This helps you avoid spending too much or falling into the trap of buying unnecessary stuff. Look at your list and ask yourself: Could I buy it second hand? Does this replace something that is broken? Could I get it repaired instead? Do I really need it?

2. Go For Quality

Why not use Black Friday as a chance to buy something handmade, sustainable or organic. Even products that are plastic free create waste if they break within a few months or years. Buying better quality items that last a long time is a real waste saver.

3. Do Your Research

Black Friday is all about time restricted deals and ‘limited stock’, all of which has us buying without doing all the research we normally would. It’s no use grabbing a bargain if the product you end up with is no good and wrapped in miles of plastic, as you’ll be creating more waste in the short and long term. Do your research, read the reviews, find out if it’s sustainable, ethical and plastic free before you buy, to ensure you’re buying a good quality ethical products.

4. Shop Ethical, Sustainable and Plastic Free #GreenFriday

Just because we don’t believe in the consumerism side of Black Friday doesn’t mean we don’t think you deserve a nice little bargain so we’ve put on a few Green Friday treats for you.

5. Ditch It All Together

Put down your phone, turn off the wifi and turn off the TV while you’re at it - read a book instead! While avoiding Black Friday adverts won’t be easy, if you don’t need anything then don’t buy anything, as simple as that. What’s more, by not buying anything you’ll be saving more money than any deal has to offer.