National Recycling Week

10-16 November is National Recycling Week in Australia, which is quite apt as it also Click Frenzy week, leading in to the Black Friday sales.

So here's some things to ponder before your brain goes down a frenzy-hijacked hole:

• according to UNSW, more than 40% of all waste is sent straight to landfill
• two of the busiest online shopping days/periods are Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but most shoppers buy more than they intend to keep (more than 50% of clothes purchased online are returned)
• even if you aren't buying mass-produced inferior quality clothing, the carbon emissions for your purchase to be delivered and returned grows significantly during these sales periods further,
• most retailers dispose of returned items, rather than replenish their stocks with them

So, here's a few tips to help this recycling week:

• swap Shopping Friday to Swapping Friday and swap your item with a friend or family member
• swap Black Friday for Buy Nothing Day
• be mindful, ask yourself if you really need the item you are purchasing, or you just want it