The Scary Truth about Halloween
The day is almost here and if you are like many American’s you have probably been spending the last month shopping for that perfect costume for your kiddos or planning a spooky gathering with friends. In fact, it is projected that Americans will spend $8.8 billion dollars for Halloween this year! (1) That is a lot of money!
While all of this spending may be good for the economy, have you ever stopped to think about what impact Halloween has on our environment?
Well it turns out that is has a big one – and not in a positive way.
The truth is, many of the items we buy for Halloween can only be used for one thing – Halloween. Take costumes for example. They get worn once or twice and then get put into the back of a closet, taken to the local thrift store, or worse…sent to a landfill.
Many costumes you buy in the store are made from polyester, a form of plastic. A study done in the UK actually found that people celebrating Halloween would send over 2,000 tonnes of plastic waste from costumes to landfills this year. This is equivalent to 83 million plastic coca-cola bottles. (2)
While it may be a little late to make changes this year, here are some helpful tips to help make your next Halloween a little less scary for the planet:
Costumes – Get creative and make your own costume. This is a great way to save some money and use up some things you already have at home. An old white bed sheet makes a great ghost and you could become a zombie with a holey shirt and jeans! If you are feeling less crafty, ask friends to do a costume swap or check out your local thrift store.
Parties – Avoid disposable plates and silverware and instead opt for reusable ones. If you have neutral ones, they can be used for your upcoming holiday parties, too. If you already have disposable silverware, wash it and use it again next time! Some companies are even making more “eco-friendly” versions of disposable items. (here) While reusable is still best, these options are better than your traditional plastic! Reduce waste even more by sending out electronic invites and buying food locally.
Treats – Reducing waste when it comes to candy on Halloween is hard. In order to keep kids safe, candy has to be wrapped individually in packaging that is not recyclable (leading to a lot of waste). Look for candy that is wrapped in aluminum foil (like Hershey’s kisses); the foil can actually be recycled! Or opt for candy that is in cardboard boxes or small tins.
Decorations – Decorate with natural or upcycled items instead of the plastic ones you buy at the store. Milk jugs can be painted to look like ghosts (here) and or fill some old clothes with straw to make your own scarecrow!
Trick or Treat Bags – Decorate something you already have at home to use year after year. A small bucket, shopping tote, or even an old pillowcase!
Jack-o-laturns – Buy your pumpkins locally and compost when finished! (If you paint your pumpkin make sure and wash off the paint before composting) You can also bake the seeds and use the insides for yummy treats!
Transportation: trick or treat around your neighborhood to avoid having to drive somewhere. You can get to know your neighbors, too and might even make a new friend!
How are you making your Halloween a more friendly on the environment?
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