(Thanks to lalachillala)
When you add up all the carved-up pumpkins, the plastic costumes, the candy wrappers, Hallowe’en is one wasteful holiday. But there’s ways to reduce your environmental impact on this spooky day. Below are a few tips garnered from a few savvy websites:
Can you avoid buying a new costume? Maybe instead you can consider renting this year, or borrowing a costume in order to cut down on waste. Or make a new costume out of old sheets, fabric or vintage clothing you may have hanging around. Here’s a website with homemade costume ideas to help your creativity along…
Or, as these good people suggest, if you absolutely have to buy something new and off the rack, look for a package-less costume and look for something that can be worn year-round as “dress-up clothes” and then passed on to friends, neighbours and relatives. In other words, buy something that will stand up to plenty of kid wear and tear.
Organic pumpkins are the way to go. Carve it as you wish. Wash pumpkin seeds in water, spread out to dry on a screen or paper-towels, then place outside for animal treats or you can bake them at 300° with light seasoning and eat them yourself. When the holiday is over add your pumpkin to your compost bin.
If you don’t already have one it’s a good time to start. Then add your pumpkins, your neighbors’ pumpkins (after asking them) and all your raked leaves and food scraps. Don’t have time to mess with a compost? Give your pumpkin to a fellow composter. Or just sit your pumpkin outside with bird food inside and let them eat. (Source)
You may have to look a little harder, but eco-candy is out there and is better for the kids as well as the environment. And since it’s creeping into the mainstream more and more, the price has gone down. Look for eco-lollipops, bars, cookies and fruit strips. Also, look to buy treats with as little packaging as possible.
Most mainstream North American Halloween decorations are made of either plastic or styrofoam. Both products are made from petroleum, a non-renewable resource. Since soft plastics and styrofoams are often very difficult to recycle, the majority of Halloween waste often ends up in the landfill.
This Halloween, why not decorate with things from your garden like fallen tree boughs, pinecones, cornhusks, apples and a pumpkin. The fruit can be eaten at the end of the night and the other items can go into the composter. A scary ghost can be made from a simple white sheet with a face drawn using a non-permanent pen. The sheet can be washed at the end of the evening. Scary music helps create spooky, but environmentally-friendly Halloween ambiance. (Source)
Remind your kids not to litter. Wrappers littering the streets are not only a sore sight and illegal, but are also not eco-friendly. Besides, as a precaution, your kids should wait to eat their candy only after you’ve checked it. There are some crazy people out there that like to hurt people. Take an extra bag, just in case you find wrappers already littering the streets. (Source)
IS THE BOSS WATCHING? If not, you gotta check this video out — and don’t forget to sing along really loud to show how cultured you are…