Green Halloween: How to Have a Sustainable Halloween

Making your own Halloween costume is a great way to reduce waste. Chances are, there is SOMETHING in your closet right now that you can use to transform into a creature of the night. Not feeling creative? Go with the classic sheet ghost or simple witch look. You probably have the makings of several potential costumes in your closet. And when in doubt, there are always DIY ideas online.

Is your old halloween costume so last year ? Then it's time to gather up a few friends for a Halloween Costume Swap! Mix up some spooky cocktails, crank up the chilling music, and have fun trying on each other's costumes from years past. Even if you don't find the perfect fit, you'll surely have a laugh!

If you have your heart set on a specific costume, you can still make a greener choice. Either purchase from a sustainable fashion brand, or carefully look into the materials used to make sure that they can be recycled. This means avoiding petroleum-based plastics, polyester, and other non-recyclable materials. 

Before you go all out on the Halloween decor, think about what you can repurpose to create a sustainable alternative. There are several ways you can accomplish this, including upcycling and painting used cardboard for wall decorations, or cutting spiders and ghosts out of old magazines or newspapers. Refer to Pinterest for plenty of spooky upcycled ideas!

Support local businesses and farmers by shopping local for your pumpkins! The pumpkins that you find at a big chain store are likely shipped from far away. Find a local farm and make a day out of choosing the perfect jack o'lantern. You can also reduce food waste by preparing recipes using the insides, such as pumpkin pie or roasted pumpkin seeds!

Prefer to leave the Halloween crafts to those that actually enjoy crafting? That's totally fine, too! Today, there are plenty of makers that specialize in sustainable halloween decorations. Don't believe us? Head over to etsy, type in sustainable halloween, and prepare to be flooded with inventive options! Better yet, you may be able to pick something up locally!

When shopping for Halloween candy, try to get fair-trade, organic options. Not in your budget? That's alright! Just try to reduce waste by purchasing candy with minimal or recyclable packaging — or forgo candy altogether and give the kids something else. They may give you a funny look at first, but they'll probably get plenty of candy elsewhere!

If you're hosting a Halloween party, forget about filling bowls with packaged candies, and instead bake up some simple, fun halloween treats. Laid out on platters, your spider balls, ghost cookies, and witch hats will make up a boo-tiful display! If you have kids at home, get them involved in the great spooky bake-off — and be sure to snap photos of the sweet memories you'll make together. 

Save your money and re-purpose a tote bag or bucket for trick or treating. Many of the plastic Halloween buckets you purchase in a store only get used one time — now that's scary! Who says using an old pillow case or any ol' bag isn't cool? It's what's inside that counts. Give it new life with some spooky decorations to complete your look.