Eco-Friendly Halloween: How to Celebrate Spooktacularly with Less Waste

10/25/2023

Halloween is a beloved holiday filled with costumes, candies, and creativity. However, it also generates a frightening amount of waste, from disposable decorations to single-use costumes and excessive candy wrappers. It is a holiday driven by consumerism to say the least. To lessen your environmental impact while still celebrating and having fun, you can take steps to make Halloween more sustainable. In this article, we’ll explore eco-friendly ways to celebrate Halloween by reducing waste and promoting responsible consumption.

The tradition of wearing costumes on Halloween is a significant part of the fun, but it often leads to disposable, single-use costumes that end up in landfills. This one is simple, make your own costume with what you already have on hand. If you aren’t crafty or don’t have the time, hit up the thrift stores or arrange a costume swap in your community.

Decorating your home for Halloween is a tradition, but it doesn’t have to be wasteful. Use natural elements such as pumpkins, gourds, hay bales and fallen leaves in your decor. Invest in good quality reusable decorations that will last you years. Lastly, grab your family and friends and get crafty. Create decorations from recycled or upcycled materials. A current popular TikTok trend is to thrift old-timey looking paintings and paint on ghosts to give it spooky vibes.

Halloween wouldn’t be the same without treats, but the wrappers and packaging create mass amounts of waste. If you are passing out candy try to buy in bulk to reduce packaging waste. Look for candy brands that use compostable or recyclable packaging. Lastly, you can also consider handing out non-candy treats such as stickers and pencils.

Halloween parties are some of the most fun parties to attend. When hosting, use real tableware instead of disposable. It is more clean up but definitely better for the environment. If you prefer the convenience of disposables, look for compostable plates, cups and cutlery. You can find them at your local grocery store. Encourage your guests to bring their own food containers, if you are preparing a lot of food, to reduce food waste.

After all the festivities, it is essential to dispose of items in an eco-friendly manner. Compost if using natural decorations, wrappers and food waste. Recycle what you can. Instead of throwing away costumes and decorations, consider donating them to charity or finding creative ways to repurpose them for future use.

Halloween doesn’t have to be a horror show for the environment. By adopting eco-friendly practices, you can enjoy the holiday while minimizing waste and promoting sustainability. Whether you’re choosing sustainable costumes, decorations, or candy, making mindful choices can help ensure that Halloween remains spooktacular without being environmentally scary. So, this year, embrace the spirit of Halloween while also embracing the environment!