The Maroon Bells, near Aspen, Colorado

© Christopher E. Herbert/Getty Image

Opt outside today

Instead of rushing to the mall today for Black Friday deals, perhaps you could make it a Green Friday and find a treasure in a nearby park or wilderness like the Maroon Bells near Aspen, Colorado, pictured here. A few years ago, outdoor retailer REI made news by closing its doors on the biggest shopping day of the year and encouraging its employees and customers to 'Opt Outside' by spending time with their loved ones instead. While there is still no shortage of shopping options available to the intrepid Black Friday deal-hunter, a growing number of organizations have gotten behind this concept of Green Friday. And let's face it, after all that turkey and pie yesterday, you could probably use a nice walk. You can always shop online at work on Cyber Monday ;)