Cambridgeshire: Martin Cooper talks about Black Friday

Martin Cooper says Black Friday and Cyber Monday are really bad for the planet. (Image: Martin Cooper)

But all that promise of a great Christmas because we all have loads more stuff we don't need and overflowing tables of food we won't eat, has a significant impact on the environment.

According to a study by Green Alliance, 80 per cent of what we buy on Black Friday ends up in landfill as waste or incinerated, with purchases often thrown away after being used just once.

While products may appear to be heavily discounted, very often the prices are hiked a week or two before the 'sale' starts to make it look like you are getting a great bargain, the reality is you are not.

And if you're buying it because it's cheap and you don't really need it, it's even less of a deal!

With Black Friday, and Cyber Monday, increasing the volume of online purchases requiring deliveries, our carbon footprint increases even more.

A report by Money.co.uk suggests that deliveries from Black Friday sales were estimated to release more than 429,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions - equivalent to 435 return flights from London to New York, or 0.12 per cent of the UK's total annual emissions for a comparable year.

We are actively encouraged to over consume and that the more we have the happier we will be, but our planet can't sustain it.

While an increasing number of companies are now boycotting Black Friday, we need to completely rethink how we shop and what we spend our money on.

Many high street shops, will not be taking part in Black Friday.

Instead we will be supporting Green Friday - promoting responsible shopping, such as purchasing from small local stores, who sell ethical and more sustainable products, or buying second-hand items.

So before you click the buy button on Black Friday, take a minute to think about the bargain you think you are getting and whether, for the sake of our planet, it's worth it.