Tips for a More Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Halloween

With single-use costumes, waste from candy wrappers, and pumpkin scraps, Halloween can often be seen as a challenging time to be socially conscious and eco-friendly. During holidays, as well as every day, it is important to be mindful of the items you buy and the impact they have on the our planet.

How to Have a More Sustainable Halloween:

Use reusable Halloween decorations.

Decorate your house with items that can be used throughout the year. Don’t buy cheap, plastic decor that will end up in a landfill.

Switch up your Halloween celebrations.

Tired of dressing up and hitting the town on Halloween? Do something different this year! Stay in and have a scary movie marathon. Try a new recipe and make your own plant-based Halloween treats. Invite your friends over for B.Y.O.P. (bring your own pumpkin) night.

What to do with leftover Halloween pumpkins, jack-o-lanterns, and pumpkin scraps?

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, about 2 billion pounds of pumpkins are grown each year, and most are not eaten. Most pumpkins are carved into jack-o-lanterns, which unfortunately end up in landfills.

An alternative to carving pumpkins is to paint them with non-toxic paints. After the holiday, wash and bake your pumpkin. If you’re set on carving your pumpkin, be sure to use the insides to create a broth that is the perfect soup base. Don’t throw out the seeds either! These can be seasoned and baked for a crunchy snack later on. Here are seven more ways to reuse pumpkin guts.

After Halloween is over, instead of tossing your jack-o-lantern in the trash, compost it!

Tips for Socially-Conscious Trick or Treating:

Use small, reusable bags for trick or treating.

It’s time to ditch plastic bags and cheap, Halloween-themed buckets that are only used one time a year. This year, try using a bag that you already own and keep it small! Your kid’s bag will fill up faster, which means fewer candy wrappers that are going to end up in your garbage.

Purchase fair-trade chocolate.

Staying in and handing out candy this year to trick or treaters? Be sure to purchase ethical candy. Many of the popular brands we know of don’t have the best track record when it comes to caring about the environment and human rights.

Here are some fair trade brands you can find at your local grocery store.

Also check out: World Vision’s Guide to Ethical Chocolate

Hand out candy to trick or treaters that are packaged in recyclable material.

Individually wrapped Halloween treats can make a huge impact on our environment because candy wrappers are not typically accepted by municipal recycling programs. This means that most wrappers end up as litter or in landfills. Instead, buy from environmentally-conscious brands or purchase candy that is packaged in recyclable materials, such as cardboard.

Want to offset your environmental impact this Halloween?

TreeEra offers monthly tree planting subscriptions for individuals who want to step off the sidelines in the fight against climate change!

Click here for more information.

Sustainable, Eco-Friendly Halloween Costume Ideas:

Shop for a Halloween costume at your local secondhand store.

You can find many used clothing and costumes at your local consignment stores. After you are done with the costume, you can donate it right back!

Use clothes for your Halloween costume that you already own.

Get creative! Throw an old sheet over your head. Wear any color you own, draw on whiskers, and boom – you’re a cat, bunny, dog, mouse, etc. Think about your favorite sitcom characters and try to recreate outfits they would wear. Do you own a professional sports jersey? Dress up as an all-star hockey, baseball, or basketball player.

Borrow Halloween costumes from your friends.

Do your friends have kids too? Borrow costumes that their kids have worn in the past. If you’re missing something for your own costume, ask your friends! What’s the point of having friends if you can’t raid their closets?

Happy Halloween from all your friends at TreeEra! No matter how you spend your Halloween this year, we hope you have fun and most importantly, stay safe.