Holiday shopping is on the horizon as Black Friday and Cyber Monday loom ever closer. Black Friday purchases hit a record high last year, with consumer spending reaching $9 billion. Cyber Monday was even more successful: U.S. consumers spent $10.8 billion. Oddly, data breaking down the environmental impact of both days is relatively scarce in the U.S. The U.K. instead offers some insights into just how much emissions spike during major shopping events like this. According to Money’s 2021 Dirty Delivery Report, Black Friday deliveries from online shopping alone in the U.K are estimated to produce 386,243 tonnes of carbon this year. Data pinpointing emissions from brick-and-mortar store sales is harder to find, though transportation accounts for the largest emitting sector in the U.K., according to government figures. It’s also the highest greenhouse gas emitter in the United States according to the Environmental Protection Agency, accounting for 29% of all emissions in 2019. Read more