NYC: Small businesses to support in NYC during the holidays
By: Katherine Kam
The day after Thanksgiving I wake up to an inbox full of emails about Black Friday deals, Cyber Monday specials, and even texts from friends and family telling me what sales I should take advantage of. While the deals may seem sweet, they fuel excessive consumerism and support large corporations that are polluting our planet. EcoCart found that during Black Friday 2020, consumers spent over $9 billion, making it one of the most polluting days of the year. Online shopping is projected to create almost 400,000 tons of carbon emissions this year.
This year, consider supporting your local small business. Local businesses return 52% of their revenue back to their local economy, compared to 14% from chain retailers. Shopping local also cuts emissions from transporting goods directly to consumer doorsteps.
With nearly 3,000 New York City businesses permanently closed since March 2019, a lot of the unique storefronts that make New York City special are rapidly disappearing. Replacing them are national chains like Starbucks, H&M, and Uniqlo.
Instead of purchasing from large online retailers this season, here are some small NYC businesses you can support: