Kids & Company Blog

How to Have a Sustainable Halloween: Tricks, Treats, and Tips!

Did you know that approximately 35 million Halloween costumes are thrown out every year? With new trends, favourite movies, and growing children, Halloween costumes and decorations don’t tend to make it past Nov 1st! As Halloween approaches, many parents are looking for ways to enjoy the festivities while being mindful of the environment. This year, let’s turn the spooky season into a celebration of creativity and sustainability. Engaging your kids in these sustainable activities not only sparks their imagination but also instills important values about environmental stewardship.  Here’s your family guide to creating a memorable, eco-friendly Halloween through costumes, decorations, and Halloween treats.

Costumes:

Halloween often brings a focus on the latest costume trends, leading to single-use outfits instead of durable, long-lasting options. But crafting a unique costume doesn’t have to involve buying something new. Here are some creative and sustainable ways to dress up while reducing waste and keeping items out of our landfills.

1.“New to You” Shopping

Explore your local nonprofit shops or thrift stores for “New to You” items. You can often find unique clothing pieces that can be transformed into amazing costumes. Ask your child what they would like to be for Halloween and take them on a scavenger hunt to find the best items at your local thrift stores to add in some more excitement! 

 

2. Get Creative at Home!

If you do not want to repeat an entire costume, take elements from old costumes that can be repurposed such as plastic accessories or neutral items and rework your costume using creativity. This is called up-cycling, and it can also be a useful tool to make your costume. Ask yourself if something from your home can be used for a costume. Get creative, think bedding, pillowcases, clothing, sports equipment, winter accessories, packing material like foam peanuts and styrofoam, cardboard boxes, etc!

3. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Host a costume swap and recycle costumes from siblings and friends. Think about last Halloween and if your child expressed interest in any of their friend's costumes, maybe they thought their best friend's superhero costume was the coolest costume in the class! Invite other parents to a costume swap party and allow your child to wear a costume you know they’ll love while also promoting sustainability within your community. It’s a great way to teach kids about sharing, reusing, and making thoughtful choices.

4. Donate 

Rather than throwing them away, consider donating old costumes to give them a second life. Many local charities, schools, and community organizations welcome costume donations, especially around Halloween. This keeps costumes out of landfills and helps give back to your community. 

 

Decorations:

From plastic tombstones to synthetic spiderwebs, countless Halloween items are designed for short-term use and often end up in landfills. As parents, we want to inspire our children to enjoy the holiday while also being mindful of our planet’s health. Fortunately, creating a festive atmosphere for Halloween doesn’t have to come at the expense of the environment. By choosing sustainable alternatives, we can maintain the magic of the season without the environmental impact. 

1.Go to your Local Farmers Market

Support local businesses, and look for decorations at farmers' markets and/or made by local artisans. Decorating this way helps reduce the carbon footprint associated with shipping mass-produced items.

2. Collect Items From Nature 

Collect natural items for your decor. Pumpkins, gourds, branches, and colourful leaves can create a charming and rustic Halloween atmosphere. Let your kids help gather these treasures from parks or your own backyard! Tip: Old broken branches can be used to make spooky haunted forest decorations in your yard or around your front door. 

3. Pack Away and Reuse!

To generate less holiday waste, after Halloween pack away decorations that can be reused year after year. Invest in durable, timeless pieces that you love, reducing the need for single-use items.

4. Sustainable Lighting 

Consider using beeswax or soy candles to light up your pumpkins. These alternatives are better for the environment compared to traditional paraffin candles. Additionally, if you’re using lights for decorations, opt for energy-efficient LED lights. For an even greener choice, consider solar-powered lights that charge during the day and light up your night.

5. The Pumpkin

Everyone knows that Halloween means pumpkins. The wonderful thing about pumpkins is that they can be used for more than just carving. With yummy pie, oven-roasted seeds, soup, and decorations, make sure you use the entire pumpkin to minimize your waste.Then, once Halloween is over, think about how to dispose of your pumpkins. Instead of tossing them in the trash, compost them or add them to your garden. This way, they can nourish the soil for future plants!

Treats 

Halloween is a time for sweet treats, but the typical candy haul often comes with environmental concerns, from excessive packaging to single-use plastics. This year, let’s turn Halloween into a celebration of sustainability and creativity! By incorporating some simple, eco-friendly practices, you can ensure that your treats are just as delightful without the waste.

1.Trick or Treat Bags 

Start by using reusable or biodegradable trick-or-treat bags, like good old-fashioned pillowcases! Not only can you decorate them as a fun family activity, but you can also save them for next year—or better yet, repurpose them as actual bedding.

2. Buy Local!

Opt for locally-produced candies to support your community and reduce the carbon footprint associated with transportation. By selecting locally-made treats, you minimize the distance they travel from production to your doorstep. This reduction in transportation means lower greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to a healthier planet. Additionally,  Local candies often use fresher, high-quality ingredients sourced from nearby farms. This not only enhances the taste but also promotes sustainable agricultural practices. 

3. Get Crafting

Get creative by recycling candy wrappers into craft projects, and turning potential waste into unique decorations or gifts. Gather wrappers of various colours and patterns to create vibrant collages, ornaments, or even garlands to hang around your home. Kids can use them to make greeting cards or decorative boxes, adding a personal touch to gifts. 

This Halloween, let’s embrace the spirit of sustainability while celebrating creativity and fun! By choosing eco-friendly costumes, decorations, and treats, we can enjoy all the festivities without compromising our planet’s health. To learn more sustainable Halloween tricks, visit our blog 50 Tips and Tricks to Have an Eco-Friendly Halloween

Posted on: Wednesday October 23rd, 2024

Posted by: Kids & Company