The air is crisp, the trees are blazing, and it can only mean one thing: it’s time for Halloween! Eagerly anticipated by kids of all ages, Halloween is a favorite – but not particularly eco-friendly – holiday. With supermarkets overflowing with plastic Halloween trinkets and goodies, it’s easy to buy into the ease and availability of mass-produced items. But looking at the current state of our planet, it’s clear we need to become more mindful about what we’re buying. Here are some alternatives to help you celebrate a fun, spooky, and green Halloween:
- Create Your Own Costume: Store-bought costumes are often flimsy, disposable products, worn once and never again. Instead of investing in cheap synthetics that harm our planet, put that creativity to work! Look through your old clothes and makeup to create a one-of-a-kind costume your friends won’t soon forget. If none of your old clothes work, you can always go to your local thrift store to find an alternative.
- Pass Out Organic Treats – or Skip the Candy Altogether! Consider handing out organic candy this year, which has a smaller footprint on the environment. Or mix it up by offering eco-friendly alternatives like mini-crayon packs, coloring books, or stickers.
- Decorate with Recycled and Natural Goods: Use your ingenuity and DIY talents to decorate your home. Grab old stockings to make spiderwebs, cut up old sheets to make mini-ghosts. Materials like cardboard, construction paper, etc. will allow you to transform your home while still being environmentally-friendly. And, of course, the most elegant, classic touches are 100% natural: pumpkins, gourds, leaves, and marigolds!
- Trick or Treat: Avoid plastic jack o’ lanterns for trick-or-treating, since they will not biodegrade. Instead, collect your candy in a reusable bag, or even a pillowcase.
These Halloween alternatives are fun for the whole family and, best of all, save you money while helping our planet. We know it can be hard to change old habits, but each choice offers us the opportunity to shift to a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Start small and keep going, consciously choosing to make each upcoming celebration more and more in harmony with our planet. But of course, don’t forget to have fun!
