Support Green Friday to help Irish businesses

Currently, I am working on my annual gift guide for food lovers with a focus on local, with some quirky gadgets from the big fat internet which is promoting Black Friday and Cyber Monday like there is no tomorrow.

Black Friday has become more than just a one-day sales event with most large retailers making it a week-long campaign these days. I have never bought into the sales manic rush as you are lured into buying things you never thought you needed (and let’s face it, you won’t be needing going forward either).

Online sales are becoming more and more the preferred buying option and it makes me sad imagining people sitting in front of their computer without any interaction from trained sale personnel. No chat about how you are getting on for Christmas etc. - just hard facts and clicks.

Thank God for people like Bronwyn Connolly, owner of Wild Design in Paul Street Shopping Centre who has a very local and ethical way of running her business (everything has to be made in Ireland).

Now she has started the Green Friday campaign to raise awareness to look locally for your needs and not to corporations who pay taxes etc outside of Ireland.

Keeping the money in your community means job security, economic strength and reduced carbon footprint. I always hear people say: ‘oh I don’t have time to go to shops or travel to a specific shop, hence I have to order from Amazon etc.’ Fear not, local businesses like Bradley’s in Cork city, Organico in Bantry etc. have listened to the demands of their customers and created online shops where you can buy great hampers for Christmas with local produce from our beautiful county.

By doing that, you support businesses like Bradley’s but also the producers of black pudding, craft beer, preserves, chocolates, cheese and so much more.

So, your one purchase might be helping up to eight businesses.

I would rather do that then supporting a company that is faceless, doesn’t care about me at all and doesn’t know me but uses cookies to track all my activities online to tailor advertising to my needs (or what they think are my needs).

Michael Creedon of Bradley’s knows me – he knows the type of wine I like, the whiskey my husband loves and always gives great advice on new craft beers and I always get a smile when I call into the shop.

You don’t get that when you sit on the computer trying to get the best deal on Black Friday (and let’s face it, most of the prices aren’t reduced at all but have only the added sales button next to it).

Just because it says ‘Sales’, doesn’t make it a bargain. Green Friday is such a great initiative that a few Blarney people (thank you to Anna Mitchel of Young Stars Music School) have come together to introduce a Green Friday in our lovely village.

Green Friday starts tomorrow – go on, let’s be a local superhero even if you don’t buy food.