5 Tips for an Eco Friendly Halloween
by the Good Ancestor Team | Read time 1 min
Image Source: Studio McGee
Halloween is the second most wasteful holiday in the United States after Christmas..Yikes. But when you think about it, all those polyester costumes, plastic decorations, and plastic candy wrapper really do a lot of damage to the environment and often end up in a landfill right after the holiday is over!
But luckily, Halloween can be a holiday that prizes creativity and resourcefulness through creating low waste decor, costumes, and treats. The GA team has some simple tips to incorporate into your holiday celebrations that aren’t so spooky for Mother Earth!
Decorate with Organic, Locally Sourced, Pumpkins, Squashes, and Gourds.
Lower your emissions by sourcing pumpkins locally grown. Here in Santa Barbara, we go to Lane Farms which is a lovely working farm that has a pumpkin patch, corn maze, and farm animals. Once you’re ready to take down your decorations keep in mind that you can use the pumpkin flesh for baked goods and you can roast the seeds too. And once you’ve exhausted all your uses for the pumpkin then make sure it goes into the compost. Don’t forget to save some seeds and start to grow next year’s pumpkins!
Use Natural Items for Decor
Corn stalks, natural brooms, and fall plants are all great ways to make your space feel like Fall without using any single use plastic decorations! If you do already have plastic decorations, make sure you save them for reuse year after year. Plus, there are tons of DIY options to turn everyday household items into Halloween decor.
Reuse Costumes or Buy Secondhand
Many of the available costumes on the market are made out of polyester and end up in the trash season after season. To curtail this wasteful practice, try to save costumes and reimagine them for the next year. A lot of times you can shop your own closet for pieces of your costume or go to a thrift store for that special piece. All it takes is a little creativity to make your costume come to life!
Ditch the Plastic Trick or Treat Pail
You can use a basket, tote bag, bucket, or a classic pillowcase on your trick or treating excursion. The options are endless!
Choose Organic, non GMO, and Fair Trade Chocolate and Candy
The Halloween candy waste stream is a tough one to tackle, but try to source candy made from natural ingredients and that is sold in cardboard boxes to cut down on the plastic. We like to offer small gifts to trick or treaters like pencils, crayons, and mini coloring books too!
