The countdown to Black Friday is on. It's the day after Thanksgiving when shoppers hit malls at the crack of dawn, hoping to take advantage of huge sales as they pick out their Christmas gifts.

Retailers, nervous as ever this ear, are still expecting a slight decrease in sales over last year's numbers. They blame that on high gas prices and interest rates.

For those who plan to do some shopping Friday, The Daily Green offers these tips to make it green.

1. Car pool to the mall. Make it even more fun by shopping with a couple of family members or friends...it saves gas, reduces carbon and makes parking easier.

2. Buy American-Made. It reduces your personal carbon footprint by not buying products shipped in from far-away lands.

3. BYOB. Bring your own shopping bags. Don't laugh; everyone's doing it.

4. Skip the drive-through. Idling your car puts pollutants into the air. So don’t use the drive through; stop the car and walk into the fast food joint. Better yet, grab a salad at a locally-owned restaurant.

5. Shop local retailers. It's a way to support a thriving local economy; a very green concept whose time has come.

6. Shop online. The internet is open for business everyday, including Black Friday, with plenty of deals and steals. (Expect the best Web deals Cyber Monday.)

For more tips head to www.thedailygreen.com.