Forget orange and black. Go green this Halloween!

Try these simple tips for a fun and environmentally friendly holiday.

Costumes | Trick-or-Treating | Decorations | Parties

Costumes

• Make your own costume or buy one at a second-hand shop.
  An old sheet still makes a great ghost. Or dig through your closet to find your old hippie clothes.
  
  
• Can't find anything suitable in the house? Shop at second hand stores and get your creative juices flowing.
  
  
• Host a costume swap with friends. You’ll likely find a great costume...for free.

Trick-or-Treating

• Have your kids carry a reusable bag or container to collect candy.  Cloth or canvas shopping bags, or even pillowcases, are great eco-friendly alternatives to paper and plastic bags.
  
  
• Rather than drive to other neighborhoods to take the kids
  trick-or-treating, stick close to home.  Walk or ride bikes from house to house to reduce fuel consumption and air pollution.
  
  
• If you must travel by car to Trick-or-Treat, make sure to carpool with friends and family.
  
  
• When handing out candy, buy locally produced treats from local merchants. Buying locally supports your local economy and reduces fuel consumption and pollution associated with transporting products.
  
  
• Give out treasures instead of treats. Try handing out recycled pencils, soy or beeswax crayons, or even seed packets.
  
  
• Take along an extra bag when you take the kids out
  treat-or-treating, and pick up litter along the way to help clean up the neighborhood.

Decorations

• Skip the plastic decorations and buy pumpkins, apples and other seasonal items from a farmer's market.   
  
  
• Light jack-o-lanterns, luminaries and inside decor with beeswax or soy candles. They burn cleaner, last longer, and come from a renewable resource.
  
  
• LED lights are another great option in addition to or instead of candles. They are safer around children than candles and don’t use as much energy as traditional bulbs.
  
  
• Make use of all pumpkin parts. Use the meat of the pumpkin for soups or pies.  Bake pumpkin seeds and serve them to party guests or feed birds. If possible, bury or compost any left over pumpkin parts.

Parties

• E-mail party invitations instead of mailing them.
  
  
• Invite lots of guests and keep your heat low or off during your Halloween party. Body heat will keep your guests warm, with no cost to you.
  
  
• Use re-usable plates, cups, utensils, napkins, and tablecloths. Paper supplies can be expensive and end up in a landfill.
  
  
• When the party’s over, wash a full load of dishes and wash clothes in cold water instead of warm or hot. You’ll save energy and money.