Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year; the changing seasons, the great decorations, and of course, the costumes! When we conjure up visions of this festive holiday, green usually doesn’t cross our minds (unless it’s on a witch’s face or caramel apple.) However, there are a few really good reasons and easy ways to have a greener Halloween this year!

First of all, this may rank as one of the least sustainable days of the whole year; throw-away candy bags, single-use costumes, and tons of plastic decorations add up to a lot of trash. An easy way to reduce your waste is to invest in or make reusable bags and decorations. If there is a gift or card store in your area, check to see if they stock locally crafted items. This will keep your money in your local economy and reduce greenhouse emissions associated with transportation.  If you buy “live” decorations such as plants or pumpkins, patronize locally owned organic farms. If organic is not available or out of your price range, most small scale farms use significantly fewer toxins than their mass market counterparts. For costumes, try to think of things that can be made by accessorizing everyday clothes or go to the local thrift store- just make sure you go before everything has been picked over.

Another big issue associated with Halloween is the candy itself. Most of the special Halloween candy comes in several layers of plastic packaging, try to buy in bulk or give away fewer pieces of a larger treat to each child in order to reduce the waste generated and always look for local or organic items whenever possible. Among sweet treats, chocolate is the biggest criminal. With a longstanding history of child labor and extreme poverty surrounding most cocoa suppliers, if it’s not fair trade, it’s not worth it. While giving away toys or other non edible items can seem greener, consider the resource usage vs. the length of time these trinkets will actually be used. While a cute pencil will always be useful, those plastic spider rings rarely make it past the weekend. As you can see, there is a greener alternative to most every aspect of this holiday, all it takes is a little green thinking!

Here are some more great resources for an “Eecko” Halloween!

Globalexchange.org
Green Halloween.Org/
DIY Eco Costumes
YouTube Video on DIY Eco FacePaints