There’s no question, Halloween is one of the highlights of Fall. Take a spooky fall evening, add sweets and top it with creative costumes and you’ve got a great holiday. Unfortunately, you also have a day that produces a bunch of waste (food/candy wrappers, low-quality costumes, accessories, plastic bags, etc). That’s why Elisabethan wants to offer a few tips on how to make your Halloween green!
Go Oldschool – Use a Pillowcase
There’s no need for your little goblins and ghosts to use plastic to collect candy – go oldschool and use a pillowcase. There are also plenty of other options – tote bags, backpacks, reusable grocery bags, lunchboxes all work great too. Take it to the next level and make your own.
Give Out Eco-Friendly Candies
Sweets and treats are a big part of Halloween – but with them often come excessive wrappers. Chose to distribute candies from a company that gives back to planet Earth. Here are a few that have less of an impact than your typical individually wrapped treats: YumEarth (Sustainable Packaging), Go Organic Fruit Chews (Compostable Packaging), or Glee Gum (Partners to plant trees).
Save the Seeds!
Pumpkin Seeds are a delicious and a nutritional powerhouse! Make them salty or sweet, you can’t go wrong when you cook your pumpkin seeds. There are plenty of recipes.
Get Creative and Make Your Own Costumes!
We all know the best costumes are homemade. Take some time, get creative and make a costume from clothing you either already have, borrowed from a friend or got at a resale clothing store. By making your own costume, rather than buying a generic costume (you may never wear again), not only do you help the environment but you’re not limited to what’s in stock. Don’t forget – homemade costumes always win the costume contests!
Bundle Up and Take a Walk
Trick-or-treating isn’t an errand, so don’t treat it like one! Bundle up yourself and your crew and hit the pavement, enjoy the night while strolling around the neighborhood with your family. Walking instead of driving to trick-or-trick is a BIG way you can make your Halloween greener. And let’s be honest, the candy isn’t just for the kiddos – walking is a great way to get a little extra exercise for those extra calories.
Compost Your Jack-o-Lantern
Make the most of your jack-o-lantern by adding it to your compost. Pumpkins compost quickly and will create fertile soil for next year. Remember it’s important to remove the seeds and smash the pumpkin into multiple pieces – this part is fun!
**Make sure you DO NOT compost pumpkins with toxic or plastic decorations (Paint, glitter etc.)**
If you don’t have a compost bin, simply dig a hole in your garden bed or yard, place the pumpkin in hole, and cover with dirt. If you do not have a yard, most communities have dropoff locations after the holiday.
Thanks for taking the time to make your Halloween more sustainable. Have a fun and safe Halloween! Boo!
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