Garbage is Scary! How to Have an Eco-Friendly Halloween to Reduce Plastic Pollution!
Halloween is an opportunity to show your creative side and have a spooky fun time, but it can also be one of the most wasteful holidays of the year. Between the cheaply made costumes, single-use decor, and of course all the candy wrappers, it’s pretty scary for the planet! Luckily, we have some great tips to help you reduce waste, and keep your celebration scary for the right reasons!
1. Try your hand at DIY Halloween Decorations:
Single-use party decorations are an easy waste stream to avoid. Making DIY Halloween decorations is a fun way to connect with friends, and create custom pieces that no one else has! Try out these ideas this season:
Get creative and make decorations out of recycled materials, like this milk jug skeleton or these glass jar lanterns.
Incorporate as much natural material as possible into your decor, such as leaves, pumpkins, gourds, and dried flowers - these can all be composted (or eaten!) at the end of the season!
Remember that less is more! Embrace a minimalistic approach when it comes to decorations, to save the planet, your wallet, and your storage space!
2. Sustainable Halloween Costumes:
According to Hummingbird International, about 5.4 million kgs of textile waste is generated from Halloween costumes in the US every year. Talk about scary costumes! Consider these sustainable tips when you’re planning your outfit this year:
Try repurposing clothes from your closet, or thrifted pieces to create your own costume, rather than buying a brand-new one!
Incorporate other elements such as makeup to reduce the need for new articles of clothing.
Host a Halloween costume swap with your friends and family, to get a new-to-you costume for this year!
3. Zero-Waste Halloween Trick-or-Treating:
Candy is by far the biggest offender when it comes to Halloween waste. Expert Lisa Morton estimates that every trick-or-treater generates about one pound of garbage from their candy stash. With over 40 million kids trick or treating each year, that adds up fast! Consider these alternatives to help address this spooky plastic pollution problem.
Consider alternatives to traditional candy, like homemade treats or bulk candy with minimal packaging.
If bulk is not an option, try treats wrapped in compostable or recyclable packaging.
Use reusable bags or containers for collecting treats instead of disposable plastic bags.
Dispose of candy wrappers responsibly - did you know you can bring your candy wrappers to London Drugs to be recycled?
4. Eco-Friendly Halloween Party Planning:
Hosting your own Halloween party this year? Here are some helpful hints to make it a bit more eco-friendly.
Provide reusable plates, cups and cutlery for your guests, or ask that guests BYOP (bring your own plate!)
Provide homemade or package-free snacks and drinks, to avoid scary plastic pollution!
Incorporate a costume swap, or encourage your friends to wear a repurposed costume that they already have in their closet.
5. Zero-Waste Halloween Pumpkin Carving:
Did you know, around 18,000 tons of pumpkins are thrown away each year? That’s approximately 360 million portions of pumpkin pie! Try these ideas to use up your whole pumpkin once you’re done with the jack-o-lantern:
Did you know that you can use stringy pumpkin guts to make pumpkin soup or stock?
You can roast the seeds and skin for a delicious crunchy snack
Roast the pumpkin flesh to use in baking and cooking - pumpkin pie anyone?
Anything leftover can be disposed of in your municipal compost bin.
Have a Happy Zero-Waste Halloween!
Want to learn more about the effects of plastic pollution? Read our blog post here.