The Friday that is getting Blacker.

Everywhere people are talking about the Black Friday sale.

'My husband says he is not stepping out of the house. But I want to go.'

'Even I plan to go. Let's go together then.'

'Is 5 am good enough to start?'

'Done.'

Over the past few days, our apartment door met with a flurry of leaflets. Our Post Box is so flooded that we have to empty it every day lest we should miss some important mail. This is just a prelude to all the hullabaloo, carbon emissions, recycling costs and pollution to be caused as a result of Black Friday.


'We are going to replace our Sofa set. Doesn't go with this new place.' The sofa set that is less than a year old will find it's way out soon.

'You get good deals on TVs. Every year we change our TV. Why don't you look for a deal as well. Want to join us?'

Black Friday they say, is total madness. With some retailers opening as early as 12 midnight on Thursday, some of the retail sales force having to compromise on a relaxed Thanksgiving meal and laid back time with family are protesting. An employee of Target, US has started a petition on Change.org against this.

Black Friday shopping dents the environment and wallets too. People rush to shop allured by the 'savings' promise. But as they say, spending can never be saving, it's only an illusion. Shopping on a Black Friday is stressful, and it makes people buy stuff that they never wanted or planned for.

Last year, the total Black Friday sales clocked $10 billion. I dread to translate that to damage to the environment.

As someone said, can we have nothing-to-buy Black Fridays, please?