How to Have a Sustainable Halloween

Halloween is a time for fun, creativity, and a little spookiness especially if there are young children in your house. However, it’s also a time notorious for waste, with millions of pounds of plastic decorations, costumes, and sweet wrappers discarded each year. If you’re want to celebrate Halloween in a more eco-friendly and cost-effective way, here are some tips to keep it spooky without harming the environment or your wallet.

1. DIY Costumes Using Recycled Materials

One of the biggest contributors to Halloween waste is plastic-heavy costumes. Instead of buying new, mass-produced costumes, consider making your own using items you already have at home. Raid your closet or visit second-hand shops for inspiration. Old clothes, cardboard, and fabric scraps can easily be transformed into creative and unique costumes. Need ideas? A cardboard box can become a robot, an old sheet can be turned into a ghost, and clothes from your wardrobe can help recreate favourite characters.

2. Avoid Single-Use Decorations

Halloween decorations are another major source of plastic waste. Instead of purchasing cheap plastic items, try natural alternatives like pumpkins, gourds, and autumn leaves, which can be composted when you’ve finished with them. You can also make your own decorations by using items that you already have around the house. For example, an old pillowcase can be painted to become a spooky ghost or glass jars can be turned into eerie candle holders with a little creativity.

3. Reusable Trick-or-Treat Bags

Avoid plastic trick-or-treat buckets and bags by opting for reusable alternatives. Pillowcases, cloth tote bags, or even handmade fabric sacks are perfect for collecting sweets and can be reused year after year. Not only are they eco-friendly, but they’re also sturdier and can hold more treats!

4. Eco-Friendly Treat Options

Sweets are another area where plastic waste piles up, thanks to all the wrappers. While it may be hard to avoid wrappers entirely, you can make more sustainable choices. Look for sweets and chocolate that come in recyclable or biodegradable packaging.

5. Compost Your Pumpkins

When Halloween is over, don’t toss your pumpkins in the bin. Instead, compost them. This keeps organic waste out of landfills and creates rich soil for your garden. If you don’t compost, look for community composting programmes or use your pumpkins as wildlife feed.

By focusing on these sustainable alternatives, you can enjoy a fun and spooky Halloween while keeping waste and costs down. Happy haunting!

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