Global Black Friday Climate Strike

DON’T BUY INTO BLACK FRIDAY

Black Friday is a day of consumerism that reflects the larger culture of disposability, capitalism, and consumption. The transactions between corporations, our government, industries, and political parties put our futures and the planet's health at risk. OUR FUTURES ARE NOT FOR SALE.

Each city in Canada will be organizing actions, strikes, and protests to draw the attention of the masses. We demand that our futures — and the climate crisis — be taken seriously. Check in with your local group to get the details of your city’s events.

 

Electronics require intensive mining of metals like lithium, aluminum, copper, nickel, cobalt, gold silver, and more. Mining not only produces hundreds of thousands of metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, but also destroys watersheds, creates millions of tonnes of toxic waste, and produces products that leech toxins into the land and water.

Recycling isn’t enough because it’s energy intensive, and very inefficient — we currently recover only the cobalt when we recycle smartphones. To get to the root of the problem, we have to reduce our consumption.

Before the 1950s, humans managed to feed and quench ourselves without packaging in plastic.

Canada produces the most garbage per capita in the world, and in 2016, we averaged 688kg/year/person. Approximately 230kg of that waste comes from food packaging.

 

Don’t buy in.

• Don’t upgrade your electronics if yours still work!
• Buy used or refurbished before new!
• Maintain the electronics you have by taking care of them.
• Store data online.
• Rent/borrow electronics instead of buying new.
• Dispose of your e-waste at electronic recycling stations available in most cities.

  

Don’t buy in.

• Buy local to reduce transportation impacts.
• Grow foods on your own or at a community garden.
• Choose your diet carefully, if you can.
• Consider fresh foods to avoid extensive packaging and the energy use of processed foods.
• Prepare meals on your own instead of buying prepped/cut/pre-made foods.
• Eat less meat to reduce land use, air pollution, and water pollution.
• Start a compost system! Organic materials that don’t breakdown in aerated environments (like a landfill) release methane gas. Methane gas is 25x more potent than carbon dioxide on a 25-year scale, and 80x more potent on a 100-year scale.