If you know me, you know that Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year. You also know that I am very passionate about the environment and environmental issues. Sometimes, these loves feel at odds. Research shows that most Halloween decor isn’t recyclable, that 35 million Halloween costumes are thrown away in the U.S each year, and that 18,000 tons of pumpkins end up in landfills every year. Halloween waste is pretty scary. But we can avoid these chilling effects with a few simple tweaks to this beloved holiday.
USE YOUR PUMPKINS
Pumpkin carving is a great tradition, but it is also super wasteful. Don’t let it be! You can roast pumpkin seeds, turn it into pumpkin pie puree, compost it, or even leave it out for local wildlife (depending on local laws). Also, even though it’s cute, avoid painting on pumpkins. Putting plastic on natural pumpkins makes it so they can’t be used as a food or composting source.
DON’T GET NEW DECORATIONS
I hear you. The Target Halloween section is calling your name. Don’t listen. You probably already have a bunch of cute decorations you can use from last year. And, if not, there are tons of holiday decorations at pretty much every major thrift store you can think of. Use what you’ve got, and if you need more, try thrifting it.
GET THRIFTY
Spirit Halloween boasts a lot of plastic, premade costumes. But why not try to get a little more creative? With some simple tools like a sewing kit and scissors, and some extra effort, you can make costumes yourself! Go to thrift stores and pick out pieces that you can use, then spend time adapting it based on what you need. It can even become a fun Halloween tradition. My friends and I love DIY-ing costumes, and we spend evenings together hanging out and working on our projects. This year, everything I’m wearing for Halloween was thrifted or made by me. You can do it!
DONATE YOUR COSTUME
So, you’ve got a cool costume. Now that the holiday is over, you can just throw it away, right? Wrong! Save it for a future year, repurpose the materials for another outfit, give it to a friend, or donate it. Anything to keep your costume out of the landfill.