Fall is upon us, which means one thing–all my favorite holidays are coming right up! Even if you’ve been dedicated to reducing your waste all year long, the holiday season always manages to throw everyone for a spin. Halloween is no different. Having an eco-friendly Halloween can seem like a major challenge.
Halloween has tons of plastic candy wrappers involved, single use items everywhere you look, and toxic face paint. Not to mention that cheaply made costume you’ll only wear once! It’s easy to get caught up in the magic of the holiday and forget about how important it is to respect the planet, no matter the day or season.
Have no fear! With a little planning, you’ll be well on your way to having an eco-friendly Halloween. Here are 8 ideas to help you out.
1. Give out plastic-free Halloween treats
If you have trick or treaters coming to your door, hand out something that doesn’t have any plastic wrapping. Some of these are also great options for kids with allergies. If you opt for non-edible handouts, paint a teal pumpkin to alert parents that you have treats anyone can enjoy!
- Candy in boxes: Dots, Milk Duds, Nerds, and Junior Mints
- Canned drinks (soda, La Croix, tea, lemonade)
- Temporary tattoos (okay, so maybe a wee bit of plastic, but still better than candy wrappers)
- Pencils/erasers/little notebooks
- Joke books, crossword puzzle books, word searches
- Bracelets (made out of natural fiber)
2. Shop at thrift stores for a DIY costume
If you don’t have anything in your closet that you can fashion into a costume, check at your local thrift stores and get creative! The internet is full of ideas to get you started. Get your kids involved and make it a craft project for the whole family! Homemade costumes are always a winner–so much more unique than their Party City counterparts too. Here’s a great list of thrift store costumes for adults.
No luck at the thrift store? Buy clothing items that you will continue to wear long after Halloween has passed. Dressing up as Princess Jasmine? Opt for baby blue harem pants and a crop top, instead of the generic Party City version.
3. Limit trick or treating
I know, I know, we’re trying not to be party poopers! However, limiting your kids to one neighborhood or one street significantly reduces the amount of candy wrappers you’ll have to throw away. To keep Halloween festive, go to (or throw) a Halloween party after trick or treating. Everybody loves a good Halloween party!
4. Donate extra candy
If you do end up with lots of Halloween candy, consider donating some of it to your local food pantry, nursing/retirement home, or an organization who sends boxes to deployed troops. Check out this list of ideas for how your excess candy can support a good cause. Donating some of their candy will help teach your little ones how great it feels to help someone in need!
5. Make your own Halloween decor
I LOVE crafty decor! I’ve got my eye on making these egg carton bats to hang across our apartment door! There are a ton of eco-friendly Halloween crafts that will prove to be fun for the whole family: check out this list! Opt for the ones that repurpose items you already have on hand.
Of course, nature provides plenty of fall decor all on her own–pepper your house with gourds, pumpkins, pinecones and Indian corn.
What comes from nature can return to nature, so definitely compost what’s left after the holiday has passed. Better yet, cut off the icky parts of your carved pumpkins and make them into pumpkin pie.
6. Use a reusable bag for trick or treating
Give your kids a canvas bag for trick or treating! Trust me, a plastic pumpkin really isn’t a necessary part of the process.
7. Buy non-toxic face paint
In a 2009 study done by Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, 10/10 kids face paints tested positive for lead and 6/10 tested positive for other heavy metals.
No, thank you!
You wouldn’t eat that toxic face paint, so don’t put it on your (or your child’s) skin. Skin is incredibly absorbent, and anything your skin absorbs does end up in your bloodstream. Try this brand from my favorite eco-online store, Earth Hero, for some natural and SAFE face paint for the whole family.
8. Avoid single use plastics at parties
Bring your own zero waste kit if you’re going to a party (a water bottle and utensils is usually all I need). If you’re the one throwing the party, eheck out my post about how to throw a low-waste kids party here. If you’re hosting a large events and can’t handle washing the dishes after, choose paper plates, paper cups and compostable silverware over their plastic or styrofoam counterparts.
Happy Halloween!
Thinking ahead just a little bit can make a serious impact on how much waste your household produces, gives out, and brings in this Halloween. By following these 8 simple tips, you can have an eco-friendly Halloween that is full of mischief and mayhem without all the trash!
