BY: JESSICA BEUKER
Ahh Black Friday; a day where Americans bludgeon the shit out of strangers for a discount on a flat screen, less than 24 hours after they give thanks for everything they have. For years Black Friday has been regarded as the start of the holiday shopping season, with retailers across the country opening early, staying open later and offering huge discount savings. It’s easy to get caught up in the consumer madness, but thankfully this year a handful of stores are putting things in perspective by focusing on what’s really important and giving back in some way.
One such store is outdoor retailer, Patagonia, which announced earlier this week that it will be donating 100 percent of its global Black Friday sales – including online sales – to charity. The outdoor enthusiasts bring in millions of dollars on Black Friday alone, according to CNN, and this year will give all of it to various grassroots environmental organizations around the world. The store will also provide information on how to reach out and join these groups, which are often under-funded and under-supported, in their fight for environmental protection.
This isn’t the first time Patagonia has made a move like this. The store donates one percent of its daily global sales to environmental organizations – a number that amounted to 7.1 million in its last year, according to CNN.
But the latest move was inspired by current political events. “During a difficult and divisive time, we felt it was important to go further and connect more of our customers, who love wild places, with those who are fighting tirelessly to protect them,”stated Rose Marcario, president and CEO of Patagonia, in an online statement. “This we know: If we don’t act boldly, severe changes in climate, water and air pollution, extinction of species and erosion of topsoil are certain outcomes. The threats facing our planet affect people of every political stripe, of every demographic, in every part of the country. We all stand to benefit from a healthy environment—and our children and grandchildren do, too.”
Let’s hope that Patagonia sets an example for other stores to follow in the fight to protect the environment.
