Halloween is full of fun and festivities.
Along the way, there are many potential purchases.
Below are just a few ideas to make this Halloween one shade greener than last year.
Reduce and Reuse
The first place to start is to assess what we already have.
Pull out decorations and costumes from prior years.
Do we really need anything new?
If we do, let’s look first at the next two ideas.
Leverage Nature
In many areas, nature is full of decoration possibilities.
Fall leaves, grasses, hay bales, pumpkins, gourds, berries, and more.
How might we create Halloween décor from what nature has provided?
This approach often has the added benefits of lower cost and the ability to continue to make your home look festive through Thanksgiving.
Shop Secondhand
For the items that nature can’t supply, consider shopping secondhand.
We can find decorations at estate sales or secondhand shops – both online and off.
We could host a costume swap with family and friends and find something “new to us”.
We might even find a costume looming in articles of clothing we have right in our closet.
Like leveraging nature, shopping secondhand will also save some money.
Avoid Plastic
Plastic abounds at Halloween.
Costumes, candy holders to gather treats, decorations, and the list goes on.
When purchasing something new, we can look for alternatives.
The pillowcase that substitutes for the plastic candy bin.
Compostable plates to take treats to an event instead of on a plastic platter.
Makeup in place of a plastic mask.
For each plastic item on our list, we can consider if there is a non-plastic option.
Give Green Treats
When it comes to eco-friendly treats to hand out, things are a bit trickier.
Food needs to be individually wrapped.
Many non-food options take a bit of creativity to avoid plastic and “throw-away” items.
When seeking out candy, we can look for labels like fair trade, non-GMO, and organic.
Here are a few options to consider:
- Bite-sized chocolates wrapped in foil instead of plastic packaging.
- Turn tangerines (Cuties) into tiny jack-o-lanterns by drawing on a face.
- Candy that comes in a box that can be recycled.
- Halloween themed pencils and erasers.
- Painted river rocks decorated with ghosts and goblins.
- A can of healthy soda (note can, not plastic bottle) – there are a lot of brands and flavors emerging.
Your Turn
How green is your Halloween?
Are there ideas here that would be easy changes to lighten your impact?
What one area might take some more time, but will make a bigger impact on your holiday?
Cheers to making your Halloween One Shade Greener!