Spooky season has arrived!
Ghosts, goblins, and ghouls aren’t the only frightening things about Halloween. The sheer volume of waste generated during Halloween is truly alarming.
From single use costumes to countless candy wrappers, the environmental impacts of Halloween can be significant. It’s essential to consider how we can reduce our footprint and make more sustainable choices while we enjoy celebrating Halloween.
Here are some fun and creative tips to help you celebrate an eco-friendly Halloween:
1. Make your own costume and decor from recycled materials
Unleash your creative beast by crafting your own Halloween costumes! Not only is it a fun way to save money, but it’s also an excellent way to cut down on the waste typically produced during the Halloween season.
By DIY-ing your own costumes, you’re reducing the need for mass produced single-use costumes that often end up in the landfill. With a little imagination, recyclable materials and pre-loved items can turn into something spectacular!
Materials that will help you have the best and most eco-friendly costume this Halloween:
- Cardboard boxes
- Old clothing and towels
- Toilet paper rolls
- Fabric scraps
- Single use yogurt cups
- Bottle caps
- Egg cartons
- Broken jewelry and unused accessories
Like store-bought Halloween costumes, it’s easy to be tempted by those ready-to-go Halloween decorations that you see in stores. However, these mass-produced decorations can come with a large price tag and often aren’t the most eco-friendly choice.
Instead of relying on store-bought decorations, consider more sustainable alternatives like using the materials from the list above to make your own decor.
DIY projects can be just as spooky and are much kinder to the environment!
2. Buy second-hand materials
If you’re not feeling crafty, there are plenty of places to find pre-loved decorations and costumes.
Facebook Marketplace often has plenty of costumes and decorations that are very affordable. Consignment shops and thrift stores are fantastic places to discover unique Halloween attire from the past. Incorporating vintage elements into your costume will make your costume stand out!
3. Sustainable Jack-O-Lanterns
After carving your pumpkins, keep the pumpkin guts!
Pumpkin seeds can make a super tasty (and healthy) snack. There are plenty of great recipes online you can follow, or you can get creative experiments with various spices in your spice cabinet.
Pumpkin pulp is a fantastic addition to various foods, including smoothies, oatmeal, soups, and muffins.
4. Host an eco-friendly Halloween bash
Instead of purchasing disposable plates and plastic cutlery, why not use your own dishes to serve your tasty treats and drinks? It may make a bit of extra effort, but you’re helping keep waste out of landfills and making your celebration more sustainable.
Compostable cutlery and dishware are also a great choice over single-use plastic.
Instead of purchasing candy, consider making your own sweets and goodies to serve your guests.
5. Properly dispose of candy wrappers
Most candy wrappers are made from mixed materials, like plastic and foil, which unfortunately cannot be recycled at standard recycling centres.
Instead of tossing wrappers in your recycling bin, make sure to throw them in the trash unless they are specifically labeled as compostable or recyclable.
By throwing wrappers in the trash, you help reduce contamination in recycling processes.
6. Donate extra Halloween Candy
Is your house overflowing with candy? Don’t worry—there are plenty of creative and useful ways to put that candy stash to good use beyond just snacking.
Here are some ideas to help you make the most of your stockpile of sweets:
- Donate to a local food bank
- Repurpose for baking
- Bring it to your office
- Save candy for gingerbread house decorating
- Put it aside for future celebrations and birthdays
- Make a piñata!
There are plenty of ways to celebrate Halloween, yet it is important to consider the most sustainable options to protect our planet.
ECO Canada wishes you a fun, safe, and sustainable Halloween!
