The idea of living sustainably, particularly in a consumer-driven world and when the cost of living continues to rise, can feel like an overwhelming prospect. Knowing where to begin, what changes to make and finding the best products and brands within your budget can feel seriously daunting. Starting with reusable coffee cups and shopping bags is one thing, but where do you go from there?
According to Peter Krideras, the Manager and Founding Director of Green Friday, changing everyday habits doesn’t have to involve a complete shift in lifestyle or an overhaul of your wardrobe. Instead, he says, it’s about starting small when and where you can.
“We see sustainability as more of a direction and a journey, not just a destination to reach,” he tells The Latch. “It’s constantly evolving and changing, and it’s about making small changes where you can rather than overhauling everything and trying to live perfectly.”
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Running from November 18 – 21, Green Friday is Australia’s first sustainability-focused online sale event, showcasing deals from brands within the sustainable, re-commerce or circular economy space.
“The biggest thing that kept coming up when we were researching and planning Green Friday was people saying they want to buy better but they don’t know how.”
To meet demand, Green Friday aims to deliver amazing deals while also introducing consumers to brands and their individual sustainability stories, something Krideras says is tailored to people’s diverse interests and areas of passion like carbon neutrality, the way products are created and sourced, a brand’s quality and workforce diversity and Indigenous makers to name a few.
“It’s about finding what in the world of sustainability is important to you and bringing that into your life,” he says. “The reality is that we don’t need thousands of brands doing sustainability perfectly, we need millions of them doing sustainability imperfectly.”
“If some of the larger brands improved their sustainability journeys by even just 1%, it’s going to have a much greater impact on what we’re trying to achieve than 1,000 brands who have been built from the ground with already perfect sustainability,” he explains.
Unlike other online events that celebrate mass purchasing and hone in on buying as much as possible for the lowest dollar amount, Krideras says Green Friday is also a celebration of changing the way we shop.
“For me, mass consumption is people getting caught up in the frenzy of sales periods and not shopping with mindfulness and consideration and instead just thinking it’s a good deal,” he says.
“I used to be exactly the same. But now the first question I ask myself is ‘do I need it?’ The second question is ‘am I buying it because of the price or for a genuine need for the product?’”
Krideras also says another important question to ask when shopping during an online event is if there’s another way to source what you’re looking to buy using alternative options like eBay, Facebook Marketplace or even borrowing from a friend.
“When it comes to a formal event, for example, instead of buying a suit I just rent one and return it afterward. That way I can still wear what I need to without having clothing just sitting in my wardrobe doing nothing and it costs me less.”
Another small but impactful change is to learn more about the brands you love and find out what — if anything — they’re doing in the sustainability landscape and if it aligns with your values.
Krideras adds, “Ultimately, when it comes to sustainability and living better, it’s small steps, recognising that we can all do better and asking ourselves if there is an alternative that’s better for me and better for the environment.”
You can read more stories about Green Friday here.
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