How to Go Green for Halloween
In just one week, trick or treaters will fill the streets, jack-o-lanterns will light doorsteps, and partygoers everywhere will dance to Thriller and the Monster Mash. Wondering how you can stay sustainable and still get your spook on? Check out our ideas to see how you can celebrate responsibly and promote environmental stewardship.
Photo by Clint Patterson on Unsplash
1. Choose (and Use) Your Pumpkin Wisely
If you have the option, you should always shop locally and support the farmers in your area. You might even want to think about growing them in your own garden! (And perhaps you already have.) Once you obtain your future jack-o-lantern, be sure to put as much of it to use as you can. You’ve probably heard of roasting the seeds, but did you know you can also transform the flesh into delicious cakes, pies, stews, and more? Our mouths are watering already, but if yours isn’t, composting is an excellent alternative.
2. Be Conscious With Your Candy
Unfortunately, most candy wrappers can’t go in your recycling bin because they’re made of a mix of materials like aluminum and plastic. That doesn’t mean you can’t get creative with reuse, though! Have you ever thought about upcycling them into items like coasters or wreaths? You can also limit your stash to items that come in cardboard boxes—think Junior Mints, Dots, Nerds, and Milk Duds.
3. Get Thrifty With Your Costume
We’ve posted before about the benefits of shopping secondhand, and Halloween is no exception. You can find wonderful pieces at vintage or consignment shops that nobody else will have. You can also try adapting items from your own closet or even making accent pieces out of common craft items like construction paper (who knew it was so easy to transform yourself into a Snapchat filter or Damien from Mean Girls?) If those ideas don’t appeal to you, you can still keep disposable costumes out of landfills by participating in a costume swap with friends.
4. Ditch the Disposable Decorations
Is there any holiday more fun to decorate for than Halloween? Between the gourds, ghouls, and witches on a broomstick, we can barely contain ourselves. Just do your best to buy items you can use again next year, and if you have the time, try upcycling some materials you can find around the house. Are those torn stockings, or prime material for homemade spider webs? Is that a discarded Amazon box, or a tombstone in the making? Anything is possible with your imagination, paint, and a pair of scissors!
5. Party Like Its 1939
If you’re hosting a Halloween bash, take it old school and use traditional glasses and dishware. After all, isn’t that why dishwashers were invented? You’ll feel much better running a load or two the next morning than hauling out bags of unnecessary waste. If you must use disposables, have your guests label their cups with markers—at least this with this method, each person will only use one.