Tips for an Eco-Friendly Halloween

Celebrating Halloween is a lot of fun, but it can also produce a lot of waste. It's a holiday that's notorious for excess (candy, costumes, plastic decorations, etc.), but it doesn't have to be. Below are some simple tips that can help you celebrate Halloween in eco-friendly style, whether you're trick-or-treating, entertaining, or just enjoying the season.

Trick-or-Treat
This year, ditch forget the environmentally unfriendly plastic bags and buckets and use reusable bags instead. If your kids aren't opposed, they can carry your standard reusable grocery bags; entice them with the fact that these bags hold over twice the candy! But if you want something more festive, Chico Bags has come out with a Halloween version of their popular reusable bag, including a handy pouch to store it in. And each bag holds 25 pounds of candy! Your kids will love that they can haul home a ton of loot, and you can use the bags for your shopping the rest of the year.

Reusable treat bags from Chico Bags $3.99 (includes bag and storage pouch)
http://www.olivebarn.com/chicobag-halloween.html

When it comes to candy, making your own is the most environmentally-friendly option, but that's not practical when it comes to handing out candy to trick-or-treaters. Treats you hand out need to be individually wrapped for obvious safety reasons, but that doesn't mean they can't be eco-friendly. Consider organic candy, which is much more friendly to the earth, or fair trade candy, in which workers who harvest the ingredients and produce the candy are paid a fare wage. Both send a great message and are better for the earth than standard candy.

Yummy Earth Organic Lollipops
http://www.yummyearth.com/

Fair trade chocolate gold coins (Hand these out in a treasure chest made from a recycled cardboard box for extra fun.)
http://www.globalexchangestore.org/Fair-Trade-Gold-Coins-p/fd5417.htm

Costumes
A lot of the fun of Halloween is dressing up as someone or something else. But costumes that are purchased and then discarded are not only made of materials that are not environmentally sound, they produce a lot of unnecessary waste. Instead of running to your nearest retail store for this year's costume, why not make your own instead? Rummaging through your closet to find pieces for your costume is a great way to be green by reusing what you already have on hand. Simple accessories and components for your costume can easily be made from simple things lying around the house.

If you still can't find what you need in your closet or that of a friend, try your local thrift store or consignment shop. These places not only carry unique pieces to help you put together an original costume, they also sell premade Halloween costumes that others have donated. I have gotten some great costumes of favorite characters for my kids this way, and it cost a small fraction of what I would have paid for a new one in the store. Plus, shopping at these types of stores saves the energy and resources it takes to make new products, and instead keeps used products out of landfills and in the system. This type of consumerism is a win-win, and you'll probably have a costume that's truly unique, instead of dressing like 5 other people who shopped at the same super store.

If your costume needs makeup to complete the look, consider eco-friendly makeup. Many brands have surfaced in the last few years, making it easier than ever to find cosmetics that are good for the earth and your skin. Natural and organic products are sold at most stores, and an online search will produce a plethora of options.

The PlantLove collection by CARGO
http://www.sephora.com/browse/brand_hierarchy.jhtml?brandId=PlantLove

Decorations
Fall is a fun time to decorate, and decorating for Halloween can get quite elaborate for some people. Yet, most of the Halloween decorations sold in stores is made from cheap, unenvironmentally friendly plastics that break easily and are discarded into landfills. This Halloween, whether decorating your home for fun or for a party, choose options that are natural and eco-friendly, and encourage your friends to do the same.

Fall and Halloween decorations usually have one common theme: pumpkins. Instead of buying fake versions to stick around your house, opt for the real thing. Pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes, and their relatives, squash and gourds, also make beautiful and festive decorations. When shopping for these items, visit a local farm instead of going to a super store. This saves fuel, as large stores usually ship these items from a further distance, and many smaller, local farms have more eco-friendly methods of growing their produce. These same farms usually also have other natural décor, such as hay bales and cornstalks.

For a Halloween party, candles set a great mood, lovely or scary. Consider hallowing out sections of gourds and pumpkins and setting tea lights or votives inside for a festive centerpiece or decoration. Beeswax or soy candles with metal-free wicks are eco-friendly, and today there are many options to choose from. They burn cleanly, making them a safe choice for your home.

Beeswax and soy candles
http://www.beeswaxcandles.com/

Many people also like to decorate with strands of lights for Halloween, most commonly in orange and purple. Using LED lights instead of standard ones is a great green option. They last longer and use much less energy, and your home will look fantastic. There is also biodegradable crepe paper on the market to create a true party feel.

LED Halloween Lights
http://www.environmentallights.com/categories/1004_2361/led-halloween-outdoor-lights

Biodegradable Crepe Paper
http://www.greenpartygoods.com/decorations-colorfast-biodegradable-crepe-c-3_10.html

For other Halloween decorations, shop at a thrift store. You'll be amazed at what kinds of unique holiday décor you can find, and this is a great way to shop green. Since Halloween is such a wacky holiday, finding offbeat decorations that are a little out of the ordinary or off-the-wall will make great conversation pieces for your Halloween party and ensure that your home doesn't look like a local Wal-mart display.

Time To Eat
If you're having a dinner party for Halloween or serving food at your Halloween party, it's easy to turn to disposable paper products for easy entertaining and cleanup. However, most of these products are hard on the environment and create a lot of landfill waste. Instead of disposable products, use linen tablecloths and napkins. If you don't have your own, you can go to your local fabric store and find all sorts of fun Halloween prints and colors. Sewing a hem isn't even necessary (we're talking about a holiday where the guests are half-decaying people and such), just cut out squares for napkins and a piece of cloth big enough to cover your table. Use fabrics that are machine washable, toss them in the washer after your party, and use them year after year. Finish the look with your own dishes and flatware for an eco-friendly party.

If you must use disposables to save your sanity, there are companies out there who make eco-friendly disposable tableware. These products are biodegradable and made from sustainable ingredients, making them a green option that's also convenient.

Biodegradable and Compostable Tableware
www.ecoproducts.com

Corn-based Compostable Drinking Straws
http://www.plumparty.com/22469/corn+based+compostable+straws-pack+of+100.html

Use these tips for a fun and eco-friendly Halloween!
Sources:
www.naturemoms.com
www.ecologicalpromos.com