12 Ways to Green Your Black Friday: Update

Black Friday...it’s the day after Thanksgiving that so many retailers rely on to help them go in the black by selling us on the need for salad shooters and other gadgets and gizmos for stuffing into stockings. It can be a fun day...and it can also be a green day with just a few ideas.

1. Carpool to the mall. Make it even more fun by shopping with a couple of family members or friends...it saves gas, reduces carbon and makes parking easier.

2. Buy American-made. Not only does this reduce the chance of purchasing lead-laced toys, or lead jewelry, it reduces your personal carbon footprint by not buying products shipped in from faraway lands. Plus, it supports a fellow American factory worker.

3. BYOB. Bring your own shopping bags. Don't laugh - everyone's doing it.

4. Skip the drive-through. Idling your car puts pollutants into the air. So don’t use the drive-through; stop the car and walk into the fast food joint. Better yet, grab a salad at a locally owned restaurant.

5. Shop local retailers. Support local stores run by local people. It's a way to support a thriving local economy - a very green concept whose time has come.

6. Shop online. The Internet is open for business every day, including Black Friday, with plenty of deals and steals. (Expect the best Web deals on Cyber Monday.)

See tips 7-12.