Ten Ideas for a Greener and Healthier Halloween
By Chris Baskind in Family, Halloween, Holidays
Halloween is good, clean fun. But with all that plastic and corn syrup, it’s anything but green. Here are ten tips for a more eco-friendly celebration.
Does it seem like Halloween candy, and costumes, and decorations are hitting the store shelves earlier each year? You’re not imagining things: Halloween has become an increasing important retail event, bridging the gap from back-to-school sales to the beginning of the holiday season. According to the National Retail Federation, Halloween-related spending is expected to top $5.77 billion this year.
That’s a lot of fake pumpkins and candy corn. In fact, it’s a lot of things that aren’t necessarily good for your family or the environment: cheap plastic goods, high fructose corn syrup, and disposable stuff that puts a dent in your budget before ending up in your local landfill or cluttering the garage. In terms of Green Living, Halloween is more trick than treat.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. With a little planning and creativity, you can put some fun back into Halloween while making it a healthier and less wasteful experience for your whole family. We’ve rounded up a dozen tips to green your pumpkin day. Let’s get started!
Cut out the plastic
Think of the Halloween aisle at your local big-box department store. How much of that stuff isn’t made of plastic? Beyond candy, makeup, and a few odds and ends, the answer is “not much.”
Plastic is relative cheap and incredibly durable — which is exactly the problem. It’s cheap enough to toss out, and lasts practically forever once in the environment. Plastic is particularly destructive in a marine environment, and is increasingly being dumped on less affluent, less fortunate nations.
So anything that keeps plastic use to a minimum is worth considering. Here are a few places to cut back:
Make your own decorations. From pirate swords to fake tombstones, decorations are Halloween’s biggest Plastic Monster. But with a little cardboard, paper mache, paint, and imagination, you can make your yard spooky and plastic-free. The Halloween Alliance has dozens of specific suggestions on ways to decorate your yard using inexpensive or re-purposed materials.
Make your own costumes. Dressing up for trick-or-treating is a big deal for most kids. You can make it even more memorable (and a good lesson in Green) by helping your brood design and make their own costumes. You’ll find some great idea starters at MSN Green’s gallery of the Best Recycled Halloween Costumes of the Web. For kids, there’s the Chuck Norris-style commando outfit, a recycled witch, and an ambitious Thomas the Train costume. And homemade getups aren’t just for kids, as you can see below. Think twice before attempting the pumpkin outfit.
Creative (and somewhat disturbing) recycled adult Halloween costumes (MSN Green)
Make your own trick-or-treat bags. Here’s another simple way to avoid plastic. Homemade bags can be as simple as a crayon and construction paper-decorated grocery bag to a more elaborate reusable craft project. If you choose to buy a bag, consider something like this reusable model from the folks at ChicoBag.
Opt for a natural pumpkin. Strip away its commercial trappings, and Halloween is ultimately a combination of various harvest traditions. What could be more fun than visiting a local pumpkin patch to choose this year’s jack o’ lantern? If that’s not convenient, head to your closest farmers’ market and find a locally grown pumpkin. They’re fun to carve, are compostable — and baked pumpkin seeds are delicious!
Dump corn syrup
We’re practically drowning our kids in high fructose corn syrup. A cheap substitute for cane sugars, corn syrup’s links to obesity and elevated triglyceride levels are well known. High fructose corn syrup turns up in a broad range of processed foods, from ketchup to soda. And certainly in Halloween candy.
It’s a bit tricky finding ways around filling your trick-or-treaters bags with corn syrup: kids have pretty well-defined ideas about what constitutes a treat. With a little planning, though, you’re set for a healthier Halloween.
Buy healthier treats. Take a pass on those big bags of cheap candy. Head to your local whole foods store for some seasonal inspiration. Some idea starters: fruit leathers, organic juice boxes, organic granola bars, Fair Trade chocolates, boxed organic raisins, popcorn, veggie chips, and tradional candies made from honey and natural sugar.
Give away non-candy, non-plastic items. Use your imagination! There are plenty of small gifts kids will be happy to get in lieu of candy. You’ll need to be careful about sourcing these, being on the lookout for items with small parts that might be a choking hazard; anything which might be mistaken for candy; and objects that could be covered in lead-based paint. Try novelty pencils, notepads, comic books, and stickers. And a note for your calendar: look for clearance priced stocking stuffers after Christmas. A lot of them can be re-purposed for Valentine’s Day and Halloween.
Feed your kids before they trick-or-treat. Face it: kids are going to start eating their candy before they even get home. Fill them up with a solid hot meal before they leave for trick-or-treating. This will give you the best chance to sort through their take-homes before it nothing but wrappers.
Keep your energy use under control
Halloween can be a real energy vampire, with plenty of extra driving and after-dark activities. As with most things Green, planning makes perfect — or at least a little better.
Plan Halloween shopping and combine as many trips as possible. From rounding up treats to dropping-off tricksters, Halloween can mean miles of extra driving. Do ten minutes of planning and write down everything you’ll need. Try to get everything in one go, and once you have your supplies, stick to whatever is on hand. Unless there are pressing reasons to do otherwise, have your kids trick-or-treat on foot and close to home.
Set up your trick-or-treat station outdoors. A lot of people are already running heaters. Bundle up, bring your candy bowl outside, and distribute candy from an outdoor station. There’s no need to be constantly opening your front door and letting the heat out. Besides, it’s fun to decorate your candy station!
Consider alternative celebrations. The folks at Green Halloween have plenty of suggestions on staging your own safe, fun, and more eco-friendly Halloween parties. And many churches, neighborhoods, and civic groups run their own events, giving you more choices about what your kids eat and where they go.
Be safe — and have fun!
See and be seen: remind kids to remove masks as they walk from house to house. Make sure some of their clothing is reflective (or add some reflective tape). Send them out with flashlights (use rechargeable batteries!), and keep them lit to improve visibility. Of course, younger children should be accompanied by an adult. Check your kid’s candy when they get home — if there’s any left.
Have a great, green Halloween!
More Reading:
National Retail Federation predicts boost in Halloween spending (Austin Business Journal)
Green Halloween (Official site)
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