9 Tips for a Sustainable Halloween
Well, it’s autumn – and spooky season is upon us. The air is crisper, the leaves are changing, and it’s time to get your costume together for Halloween. Like many other holidays, Halloween is a time of decorations, parties, and gatherings with friends and family. But it doesn’t need to be a time of undue waste. You can enjoy all the wonderful things the season has to offer without the needless impact on the planet.
Let’s explore everything you need to know about having a sustainable Halloween so that the scariest part of your holiday season is how much fun you’ll have, not how much harm it brings to the planet.
How to Have a Sustainable Halloween Season
Opting for a sustainable Halloween is easy to do if you follow these tips. It all comes down to making more conscientious choices when you shop, plan, and prepare. With a few adjustments, you can enjoy a green Halloween.
1. Make Your Own Costume
Not only will making your own costume ensure that what you wear is unique and original, but sustainable Halloween costumes are also one of the best ways to keep your holiday green.
By creatively using items existing within your current wardrobe, you can save money and help the planet, all while showing off a costume your friends will be jealous of.
Ghosts and mummies are easy costumes to throw together using white fabric, old bedding, makeup, and gauze wrap. Add your own twist with custom face paint.
Want to aim a little higher? Recycled cardboard, paper, and a little bit of imagination can be used to shape out everyday objects with the help of some scissors and paint.
You can go as a domino, a Rubik’s cube, or your favorite candy bar. With a little bit of thought, your Halloween costume can be both sustainable and one-of-a-kind.
2. Be Conscious of Candy Wrappers
With so much candy available this time of year, Halloween can turn wasteful pretty quickly. Handing out tiny, plastic-wrapped candies has a major impact on the environment.
When shopping for your giveaway treats, try to seek out candy that comes in cardboard or paper packaging, such as those offered in small individual boxes. This tiny change can make a big difference.
3. Buy Sustainable Food and Treats
Whether you are hosting a party or preparing for trick-or-treaters, it helps to buy sustainably sourced food and treats. Look for non-GMO candies, and feed your friends with local fare whenever possible. This will cut down on your ecological footprint, making your holiday that much greener.
4. Limit Your Party Waste
This one is pretty simple but often overlooked. Instead of disposable cups, plates, and cutlery, opt for reusable items. Recycle whatever you can’t keep, and shop responsibly to limit your overall waste.
A little planning and preparation can ensure that you host an eco-friendly Halloween. When bringing food items to other people’s parties, be sure to tote your offering in reusable glass dishes as opposed to disposable aluminum whenever possible.
5. Choose Pumpkins Responsibly
Pumpkins are a fixture of the fall. If you can find organic or locally grown pumpkins, you will be well ahead of the sustainability game.
When the holiday ends, your pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns can make a great addition to your compost pile. This is an easy way to eliminate needless waste and let nature take care of the cleanup for you.
6. Try a Costume Swap
We often attend multiple Halloween events every year, and each one may require a different costume. Go green for Halloween by swapping costumes with your friends. This will limit the total number of costumes that are needed, and you can still wear a different one to each party or gathering.
If you still have it, try trading out last year’s costume for something new, so you and a friend can switch in the greenest way possible.
7. Decorate Thoughtfully
Sustainable Halloween decorations are readily available these days. Choose trimmings that won’t end up in the trash and can be used for many years to come.
If you want to be extra thoughtful, you can make your own unique decorations. Use natural materials scavenged from outside, and repurpose egg cartons, cardboard, and paper waste to give a second life to items that normally get discarded.
A little creativity can go a long way toward a custom, sustainable Halloween season.
8. Choose Green Trick-or-Treat Bags
Instead of buying those throwaway paper bags with the Halloween print, try decorating bags you have at home.
You can even use canvas shopping bags or old pillowcases, which can be employed year after year for trick-or-treating. This will guarantee that your trick-or-treat bag stands out from the others and is better for the planet as well.
9. Save for Next Year
Whenever possible, save your decorations, costumes, and other Halloween trinkets for next year. This will guarantee that you don’t need to do as much shopping next fall, and every item saved from the landfill is a win for the planet.
Our Take on a Signature Green Halloween
Having a sustainable Halloween season doesn’t have to be a chore. With a little effort and imagination, you can turn your holiday into a celebration of all things green. Save what you can, and repurpose or recycle what you can’t. Look for sustainable treats when you’re out shopping.
And, perhaps most importantly, have fun! Making your own costumes, trick-or-treat bags, and decorations is a great fall activity that the whole family can get in on.
Feature Image via Mayur Gadge from Pixabay
