October 2021: How Do You Green Your Halloween?

Halloween might be one of the easiest holidays to incorporate environmentally friendly options; often it can also be a nostalgic quest, harkening back to a time of homemade costumes, pillowcase treat bags and a front yard scarecrow donning jeans and a flannel shirt straight from your closet. By choosing your costume, treats and decorations carefully, you can reduce environmental impacts from manufacturing, transportation, use and disposal. Here are some ideas on how to make this spooky holiday a little less scary for the planet.

COSTUMES
•    Make costumes from objects found around the house or visit a thrift store to find fun outfits and accessories.
•    Try a costume swap with relatives, neighbors and friends.
•    Rent a costume from a local costume store.
•    Avoid plastic Halloween costumes that contain soft vinyl materials, which may present a health hazard.

DECORATIONS
•    Buy local pumpkins and use soy candles, which burn cleaner than regular wax candles, to light the carved jack-o-lanterns.
•    Decorate with objects found in nature or make your own out of recycled materials.
•    Use old sheets to create scary ghosts.
•    Stuff old shirts and pants with newspaper to create a scarecrow or ghoul.
•    Take pumpkins and all-natural decor to the compost pile and return them to nature.
•    Store and re-use non-perishable decorations year after year.

TRICK OR TREAT
•    Instead of driving house to house, host a party for your neighborhood or see if your town or city offers an alternative event, such as a Trunk or Treat event.
•    Walk from house to house, if possible. If driving, find a central location to park and walk from there. If you wait in the car for your little goblin, turn the engine off. Idling wastes gas and pollutes the air.
•    Avoid purchasing single-use treat bags. Have the kids carry re-usable tote bags, old pillowcases, or even their favorite backpack instead.
•    Serve organic or “fair trade” treats, if available in your area.
•    Have a treat swap with friends to avoid throwing candy away.

There are many ways to celebrate this holiday while keeping the environment in mind. It might take a little more creativity, but it’s worth it! Let us know what you are doing to summon the spirit of sustainability! Share on social media and tag us: Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.