Go Green This Halloween With These Savvy Tips
When it comes to Halloween, we think of scary movies, elaborate decorations, creative costumes, pumpkin carving and… sustainability? Okay, sustainability is probably one of the last things that comes to mind when we think of Halloween. But the amount of waste that a single holiday generates is quite alarming. Think about it, every year we throw away flimsy, single-use costumes, tons of small candy wrappers, and mass-produced decorations. Not to mention, U.S. consumers spend more than $10 BILLION on Halloween annually. That’s a massive hit to our wallets and the planet. Now that’s scary.
Help out your wallet and the environment this year by adopting more sustainable Halloween practices. Here are some tips to practice a more eco-friendly, yet still spooky, Halloween.
Sustainable Halloween Costumes
The biggest environmental impact Halloween costumes have are the low-quality, fast-fashion costumes that are mass produced every year. Many are made with unsustainable and non-recycled materials in countries with poor labor standards. And the worst part is that these costumes sometimes fall apart after just one wear. Millions of flimsy Halloween costumes end up in landfills every year.
So how do you make your Halloween costume more eco-friendly? Well, first make a costume from what you already have! Shop your closet first and ask around friends and family if they have clothing pieces you could borrow.
If you are in need of a specific clothing item, head to some thrift stores and shop second hand. Thrift stores are fun, and full of various clothing pieces and accessories you can get creative with.
Decorations Done Sustainably
So many Halloween decorations that are sold on the market are made from single-use plastics. One of the best methods for sustainably decorating your house for spooky season is DIY. There are tons of fun, easy and cute decoration ideas on Pinterest. Get creative with friends and family and together, craft some decorations. Old sheets make for great ghosts, and that pile of cardboard in your garage can make great haunting headstones.
Obviously, a Halloween highlight is decorating your house with pumpkins. Who doesn’t love carving pumpkins and lighting a candle inside as they decorate your doorstep? But 60% of people who carve pumpkins report that they don’t do anything with them once the holiday is over. This year, consider cooking with your leftover pumpkin. There are some amazing recipes you can find online. Check out some of these tasty ideas!
You can also feed your pumpkin to the local wildlife. Some birds and other small mammals will eat the seeds and squirrels, porcupines, and even deer have been known to make snacks out of pumpkins. If this isn’t an option for you, consider composting. Remove all the seeds and place your old pumpkin in the green bin, or use the pumpkin scraps to fertilize your garden!
Low-Waste Halloween Candy and Treats
Halloween is second to Christmas when it comes to the consumption of sugary treats. But all those little individual candies are wrapped in plastic and, yup, you guessed it, all those tiny plastic wrappers end up in landfills, the environment, and oceans. Also some major candy brands don’t have the best rap for upholding ethical practices. Brands like Hershey’s, Nestlé, and Mars have been known to have huge impacts on the environment. In 2015, a lawsuit was filed against the three candy giants for allegedly using child labor in the production of their best-selling chocolate candy.
So instead of indulging in all those individually wrapped candies, consider making some spooky treats yourself! Halloween-themed cookies or carmel apples are sure to be crowd pleasers. You can also consider purchasing from ethical chocolate brands. I like the company Endangered Species Chocolates because they partner with various conservation and wildlife organizations across the world to make a positive difference for wildlife, habitats and communities. They’re awesome!
Just because you implement a few eco-friendly changes to your Halloween plans doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the spooky fun! Although black, orange, and purple may be the go-to colors of the season, a green Halloween can be pretty sweet too!
