Tips for a Green Halloween
Halloween is right around the corner, so that means costumes, parties and candy! This year consider implementing more sustainable and eco-friendly ways to be green in order to help improve our air quality. Being conscious of the environment won’t take the fun out of the holiday festivities. Don’t know how? Here are tips to have a “green” Halloween:
DIY your costumes. Try something different this year by making a DIY costume. Making your own costume is affordable and will save you a trip to the costume store, therefore reducing the amount of bad ozone in the atmosphere. Even better, try to make your costume out of recycled material or old clothes that you no longer wear. Click here to help you get started on brainstorming costume ideas.
Host a swap party. Don’t want to make your own costume? Host a swap party with your friends and family to exchange costumes. Swapping saves money and time for both parties. In addition to the benefit of saving time and money, swapping will also help improve our air quality by eliminating the drive to costume stores. Don’t know how to start? First, set up a date, time and place for your swap party. Then, inform your guests to bring costumes they no longer wear. Serving food or drinks at your party? Use reusable or biodegradable dishware! Click here for more details on how to host a swap party.
Walk, don’t drive. Put down the car keys this Halloween and walk around your neighborhood to get your kids’ trick- or- treating fix in! Anytime that we can drive less, the better for our air quality. Going to a party? Carpool with friends or consider a rideshare, where you can drive with others to a similar destination. Use Try Parking It's rideshare function to find your ride buddy today!
Reusable bags. Replace plastic bags with reusable containers or reusable bags. Plastic takes 1,000 years to decompose in landfills, so it is important to reduce the amount that we use. Totes and containers are also more durable compared to plastic bags. Repurpose an old t-shirt into your kids’ trick-or-treat bag. Follow this tutorial to make yours today!
Use natural decorations. Skip the plastic bats and replace them with natural decorations. Use pinecones, pumpkins and gourds to give your home an autumn look. Inflatables in the front yard constantly use electricity to keep them afloat. Instead, replace inflatables with a homemade scarecrow made from thrift store finds. Click here for more ideas for eco-friendly decorations.
Get more use out of your pumpkins. Don’t waste your pumpkins by painting them. Instead, consider carving them into scary faces or cute designs. Paint contaminates the produce, making it non-consumable or unable to compost anymore. After carving your pumpkin, uses the seeds to make a snack or a meal! Simply wash, rinse, season, and pop the seeds in the oven. Here are some other ideas for what you can do with a pumpkin!
By becoming more sustainable, we are becoming one step closer to better air quality. Stay safe and green this Halloween!
