As we say here at altCon, Happy Hallowgreen!
It’s that time of year again. The pumpkins are out, the candy is everywhere you turn and you’re constantly trying to answer that same old question: “what are you going to be for Halloween?” October 31st is notoriously wasteful: individually wrapped candies, one time use costumes, lights on all night, not to mention all that wasted toilet paper and eggs. It doesn’t have to be all waste and gluttony though, with a few simple tips you can have an eco friendly Halloween without sacrificing any of the ghoulish fun.
Having a party?
- Use e-vites not paper invitations
- Use recycled or reusable plates and silverware
- Serve healthy, seasonal food. Pumpkins and other gourds are great not just for decorations, but for eating, too — (roasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin soup).
- Homemade apple cider and caramels apples are other perennial kid (and adult) treats.
Costumes and Decorations
- Don’t buy products that can’t be used after Nov. 1st. Look for things you can reuse and recycle, rather than things you’ll just have to throw away.
- If you don’t grow your own, pick your holiday pumpkins at a local farm – (great online resource), and carve with the help of World Wildlife Fund stencils, which you can download for free.
- Get your costumes from a second hand store, and then donate them back when you’re done!
- Use candles, rather than lights – look for candles made of bees wax or soy (not petroleum) and with cotton wicks — for a cleaner burn.
- Here are some great green costume ideas for adults and for kids.
- (photo courtesy: Kiwi, above, L) Use what you have already to make spooky decorations: old stockings can morph into spider webs, packing peanuts can be painted like worms and cardboard boxes can transform into tombstones.
- If you don’t have time to DIY, buy fair trade decorations (yes, they do exist!) There’s an elegant hanging tea light for year-round use, at world of good.
Door to Door Tricks & Treats
- Rather than giving out individually wrapped candies, dole out little treasures instead. Kids will love polished rocks, seashells, pencils, erasers etc.
- If you’re afraid the kids might egg your house for not giving candy, consider Fair Trade chocolate such as Endangered Species chocolates – (specially sized and priced for Halloween).
- Make sure your kids are using pillow cases or other reused bags when they trick-or-treat, rather than plastic ones.
- Give kids shakeable ED flashlights, they’re fun, the LED’s last for years and they keep batteries out of the earth!
- Remind everyone not to litter – wrappers are easily dropped in the frenzy of candy consumption, but it’s just as easy to pick them up and throw them away.
- This might be a hard sell, but Global Exchange’s Reverse Trick-or-Treating campaign is a great way to teach your neighborhood about sustainability.
Remember, Halloween is a great way to step out of the box and get creative. Why not do it in a sustainable way? Saving the world takes more than just superman (who you might even be able to meet October 31st), it takes a little bit of thought from everyone. Chances are, most kids won’t even notice the changes, and you’ll be able to boast the greenest Halloween on your block.
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