Fall is in the air! Pumpkin patches, hayrides, hot apple cider, and pumpkin spice lattes. Halloween is just around the corner, and little ones eagerly anticipate all the fun and festivities, from spooky decorations to costumes and candy.
I don’t want to put a damper on the spooky Halloween spirit, but this holiday can be an ecological horror story. This season is filled with products designed to be single-use and disposable, creating a lot of waste.
For example, in 2019, consumers reported that they expected to spend about $60 on single-use costumes for their children. In 2021, Americans expected to spend a record $10.14 billion on costumes, masks, decorations, candy, and other Halloween-related items. Most of those products end up in the trash before Thanksgiving.
Though the origins of Halloween are in celebrating the harvest, life, and death, the current version of Halloween is centered more on consumption. With a few environmentally-conscious adjustments, autumn and Halloween can still be a favorite holidays.
Sustainable Halloween Costumes
One of Halloween’s most significant carbon impacts comes from the countless “fast fashion” costumes that are mass-produced every year. They are poor quality and usually made from unsustainable materials like polyester, plastic, and cheap paints. Additionally, they are often manufactured in countries that have poor labor standards and do not pay equitable wages.
Avoid retailers that stockpile costumes they expect to trend each year. Instead, opt for more sustainable costume solutions.
Reuse and upcycle: Start by looking in your closet to see what you already own that can transform into a clever Halloween costume. Thrift stores are another great place to find Halloween costume pieces. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box to find what you need or for costume inspirations.
For example, an old sheet can become a spooky ghost. Old bandages can transform any little one into an adorable mummy. Use old clothes or items from the thrift store to create a scary zombie effect. Don’t forget to choose face paint instead of a plastic mask, you can add a few rhinestones to make it sparkle! Using paper and scissors you can recreate Ratatouille!
Sew your own costume: If you have a knack for sewing, there are many places to buy adorable patterns to sew your own costumes. This is an excellent option because you can choose eco-friendly materials and customize them to your preferences.
Rent a costume: Some costumes are a little more challenging to create without a bit of sewing expertise. If your little trick-or-treater wants to dress up as something you can’t replicate with upcycled or found items, consider renting a costume from a store instead of purchasing a single-use costume.
Green Halloween Treats
Retailers make it easy to grab plastic bags of individually wrapped candy and chocolates for the hordes of trick-or-treaters. But this contributes to plastic pollution. Additionally, many candies include palm oil, which use destructive farming practices and lead to deforestation, habitat destruction and wildlife extinction.
Rethink the treats you hand out. Consider stocking up on tasty treats like honey sticks, organic gummy treats, raisins, granola bars, and other goodies. Some people take time to make homemade goodies but don’t feel bad if that won’t fit into your busy schedule.
Or skip the candies and hand out useful items like bookmarks, notepads, pencils, or other trinkets. If you decide to go this route, avoid the cheap plastic party favors many retail stores offer.
Choose to Reuse
Halloween costumes aren’t the only culprits when it comes to environmental damage. There are other easy ways to go green.
Treat bags and buckets: Of course, your little goblins and ghouls need a bag or bucket to gather all their Halloween goodies. Skip the $2 plastic pumpkin bucket and opt for a more environmentally friendly option.
There are many adorable reusable Halloween-themed totes and bags available. Canvas bags, wicker baskets, or even an old pillowcase are easy options. In a pinch, kids can even use their school bookbags.
Reusable lighting: Many people use spooky lights to illuminate pathways and decorate houses. Choose LED or solar-powered lamps. LED flashlights keep your kids safe while trick-or-treating and eliminate disposable batteries.
LED lightbulbs are more energy efficient, last longer, and help lower your electric bills. They are non-toxic and greener than other lightbulbs on the market. LED lightbulbs come in all sorts of festive colors and designs to spook up your decor.
If you’re decorating with candles, choose fragrance-free soy candles instead of paraffin candles. Paraffin is a petroleum-based product that releases toxins when burned or thrown away.
Green Decorations
Skip the disposable decor. Consider making your own! You can make some spooktacular Halloween decorations with cardboard, paint, glue, and a little imagination. Cut out and paint everything from skeletons to tombstones. Make spiders out of black fabric and paper towel or toilet paper tubes.
If you plan to carve or decorate pumpkins, consider purchasing them from a local farmer or farmer’s market. This cuts down on greenhouse gasses from transporting the produce. Don’t forget to keep the seeds! Roasted pumpkin seeds are a tasty treat.
After you’re finished with your festive jack-o-lantern, don’t throw it in the trash. Take it to your backyard or a nearby woods for the deer, squirrels, and other wildlife to enjoy. It will feed the critters, then decompose and create rich compost. Some zoos like El Paso Zoo, or wildlife refuges gladly take jack-o-lanterns as enrichment items for the animals, you can reach out to https://elpasozoosociety.org/ to arrange a drop off.
If you decide to buy decorations, choose high-quality, reusable decor that you can enjoy year after year. This is great for the environment and your wallet!
With a bit of planning and thoughtfulness, Halloween can go from an environmental nightmare to a spooktacularly #green time of year. Don’t forget to get your little ones involved in the sustainable festivities! These fantastic educational opportunities teach your children about making fun and sustainable choices that are good for the planet!
#greenhalloween
