Halloween fast approaches! Whether you are decking out your yard with the scariest ghosts and ghouls, or providing but a simple bowl of candy for sweet-seekers, you can show your neighbors and candy-visitors that fairies and vampires cannot magic or scare away being mindful of our common home. Here are ten ways you can have an environmental Halloween:
- Dressing up (ourselves or our kids) is great fun! Shop at thrift stores, host a costume swap, or make your own. This way, you don’t have to waste after just one wear, and/or you can revitalize what you have.
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- Babies grow out of their costumes practically within a week! Buying one from a thrift store is a good way to not waste money on a one-time wear, and donating back to the store ensures that cycle continues. Adults luckily can reuse their costumes year after year.
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- This costume was made using thrift store materials, including a raincoat that can also be used during the rainy season.
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- Reusing isn’t just for recycled plastic! You can not only get your decorations from thrift stores or garage sales, or even by repurposing objects and creating your own, but you can also reuse them year after year.
- For parties or for treaters, buy food and candy from local and sustainable sources. For parties, compost what you can afterward, and for treaters, recyclable packaging is better.
- Pumpkin carving is an awesome family activity, but don’t stop at cutting out that grinning face! You can use the innards to make pumpkin pie, toast the seeds with a little bit of salt, or compost for rich soil.
- Finished with #4 and ready to illuminate that smile? Use petroleum-free candles like those made of beeswax.
- Whether or not you claim a “parent tax” on candy, kids can use a reusable treat bag such as a pillow case, bucket, or cloth bag. As an added bonus, you can decorate it the way you want it!
- Provide compostable or recyclable cups, plates, and utensils at parties, making sure to have a recycling or compost bin to dispose these items in.
- Using makeup to make your face scary or magical? Use eco-friendly products or even make your own!
- Buy your pumpkin from a local source. You can teach kids so much at a pumpkin farm, or better yet, grow your own!
- Ensure your porch light, that bright beacon of goodies, is using an energy efficient bulb. You can use LED or reusable batteries for flashlights as you comb the neighborhood for treats.
Have a fun and safe Halloween!