Photo credit: Uncage the Soul Productions.

This week we celebrated #GivingTuesday, a day that unites people from around the world to do good. Whether it’s donating time or resources, this global movement shows us how working together and small acts of kindness can create real change in our communities.

It also gives us a chance to take a step back after the biggest shopping days of the year, and reflect on how we as businesses and consumers can give back.

Here at Promoboxx, #GivingTuesday inspired us to join our outdoor partners in protecting the wild places we love and to take a closer look at our role as consumers this holiday season.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the two biggest retail holidays of the year. Adobe estimates Americans spent a total of $11.6 million over these two days, with Cyber Monday coming in as the largest online shopping day in U.S. history.

While record-breaking sales are great for businesses, they pose an enormous threat to our environment. The E.P.A. estimates that household waste increases by 25% during the holiday season. That’s roughly 1 million additional tons of trash per week from Thanksgiving to New Years.

One of the ugly truths of overconsumption is losing the wild places and creatures that make our planet so special. Within the past two decades alone, 10% of the world’s wilderness has been completely wiped out. The need for change is why we were excited to welcome The Conservation Alliance to the Promoboxx family back in July, and why we’re supporting their fundraising efforts this #GivingTuesday.

Protecting the Wild Places We Love

“You Give. We Protect.” is The Conservation Alliance’s rallying cry to defend America’s threatened lands and wildlife in 2018. Promoboxx, along with seventeen other outdoor partners, is helping raise money for this #GivingTuesday initiative, with 100% of the proceeds going directly to The Conservation Alliance fund.

This is The Conservation Alliance’s first campaign that speaks directly to consumers. Their team is leveraging the power of social media to inspire action, using the Promoboxx platform to share “You Give. We Protect.” content across Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Our platform allowed them to reach not only their followers but those of our 51 outdoor retailers who chose to participate in this fundraising campaign.

Inviting non-members to join the movement is another first for The Conservation Alliance, and we’re excited to see how our collective efforts contribute to the fight to protect America’s public lands.

Small Steps, Big Impact

While donating to organizations like The Conservation Alliance is a high-impact way to give back during the holidays, we can also make small changes in our consumption habits to help preserve our wilderness for future generations.

So as we deck the halls, light menorahs, and ring in 2018, here are five ways we can act a little greener this holiday season:

1. Shop early to skip the need for 2-day shipping. We’re big fans of buying local here at Promoboxx, but if you DO shop online, choose ground shipping. Express shipping comes with a hefty environmental price tag when you factor in air transportation and the additional packaging often needed to keep your order intact.
2. Rethink what goes into the trash. The E.P.A. estimates that 80 percent of the additional waste created during the holidays can actually be reused or recycled. Donate used clothing and goods to places like Goodwill and the Salvation Army, and find out what can and can’t be recycled through your local service. The Earth911 Recycling Search database is a great resource for finding the closest recycling center in your area.
3. Switch to LED holiday lights. Upgrading to LED bulbs is great for the environment and your wallet. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, LED lights use 80% less energy than incandescent bulbs and can last up to 25 times longer.
4. Opt for the real thing. Buying a real Christmas tree is the greener choice. Most fake trees are made with PVC, a petroleum-based plastic that is non-biodegradable. The carbon footprint of an artificial tree is twice that of a real tree when they end up in a landfill, and more than ten times that of a real tree that is burned, planted or recycled into wood chips.
5. Get creative with your gift wrap. Use reusable materials to wrap presents whenever possible. Old maps and brown paper bags are great options if you want a unique look. We could save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields if every household in the U.S. wrapped just three gifts in reused materials this holiday season.

About Promoboxx

Promoboxx is the only brand-to-retailer commerce platform that connects and aligns national manufacturing brands with independent, specialty retailers to increase local awareness and sales. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Promoboxx partners with leading brands, including Nissan, GE Appliances, New Balance, and The North Face, to transform the way retailers and brands market together at a local level. For more information, visit www.promoboxx.wpengine.com or call +1 (800) 380-7502 x3