There’s only one night of the year you’d expect to see ghouls, ghosts and witches roaming the street; that’s Halloween, of course.
Celebrated around the world at the end of October, it’s a time when dressing up is encouraged for children and adults, when horror movies are on high rotation, and homes are decorated with tombstones, cobwebs, and bats in the front yard.
Sadly, this gore and gayety invites a flood of single-use plastics in decorations, trick-or-treating goodie bags, and low-quality costumes. These items are often purpose-bought and thrown away come the 1st of November.
That’s an enormous amount of plastic waste generated worldwide in just one night.
This year, whether you’re planning to deck out the office, organise a staff party, or just eat some candy, with some planning and preparation, you can make sure your Halloween is scary without adding more doom and gloom to our environmental future.
To help you celebrate with a sustainable mindset, we’ve listed five eco-friendly Halloween ideas that will lower your environmental impact this year.
- Reusable trick-or-treating bags
We associate Halloween with eating too much candy. And this trick-or-treating loot is usually collected in plastic bags or plastic jack-o-lantern buckets. Switch it up this year by gathering your goodies in a reusable shopping bag. A larger, plant-based bag means you’ll be able to carry even more sweet treats, and it can be reused or composted after use.
- Bake your own treats
While it’s convenient for trick-or-treaters, individually wrapped candy isn’t great for the environment. One way to avoid plastic wrapper waste is to make your own treats. Not only is this a healthier option, but you can avoid known allergens in the ingredients. If baking isn’t your thing, look to buy from organic and fair-trade brands with minimal layers of protective plastic or hand out popcorn in little compostable bags.
- Use the whole pumpkin
A grinning jack-o’-lantern is the quintessential emblem of Halloween. After carving your pumpkin, make sure nothing goes to waste by using its flesh in pumpkin-based recipes; it is the season for pumpkin soup and pumpkin pie, after all! Don’t forget to roast the pumpkin seeds for a healthy snack, or plant the seeds in your garden to grow your very own organic pumpkins. Once Halloween is over, remember to compost your jack-o’-lantern where possible.
- Decorate with compostable items
Most Halloween decorations are made cheaply and designed to be used only once. So, whether you display a few themed items on the porch or deck out an entire haunted house, your decorations will likely be dumped in the trash after Halloween. Take a more sustainable approach this year by avoiding any single-use plastic. Instead, opt for items that can be reused or are made of compostable materials like crepe paper. The great thing about Halloween is it welcomes creativity. Why not try making your own high-quality spooky decorations? Consider painted candle jars, reusing old sheets as ripped doorways hangings, or even choose to use face paint over plastic monster masks.
- Second-hand costume party
Avoid ordering tacky Halloween costumes last minute online. It will probably be shipped from halfway around the world (with associated carbon emissions), and it will most likely be packed in several layers of protective plastic. It’s time to get creative with your costume by reusing items already in your wardrobe, borrowing pieces from friends, or buying second-hand items from thrift stores. Crafting a unique outfit will save you money, give old clothes more life, and reduce the amount of post-Halloween waste.
With these tips and a bit more forethought and planning, you can enjoy a more sustainable Halloween. Having a mindful celebration is a great thing all of us can do for the planet this spooky season.
