Black Friday and Cyber Monday serve as prime examples of how consumer culture can perpetuate mindless consumption and contribute to environmental degradation. The annual surge in shopping leads not only to excessive packaging and shipping waste, but also to the logistical challenges and costs associated with returning unwanted items. In particular, the clothing industry faces a significant burden, with a considerable portion of online returns ending up in landfills due to the complexities involved in processing these returns efficiently.

In the UK alone, approximately 300,000 tonnes of clothing are discarded each year, often after being worn only a few times. This trend underscores a larger issue: many products are purchased with little thought and discarded soon after, particularly items that are only fashionable for a single season. The situation is so concerning that some governments, like France's, are contemplating bans on Black Friday to mitigate the adverse effects on the environment and promote more sustainable consumption practices.

The environmental impact of these consumer events extends beyond clothing, encompassing everything from non-recyclable plastic toys to electronic waste and fast fashion. Each of these categories contributes to a growing culture of disposability, ultimately exacerbating the challenges associated with climate change and resource depletion. With Earth Overshoot Day being pushed further back each year, it is critical to evaluate our consumption habits and consider more sustainable alternatives to Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping sprees.