Happy HalloGreen!
One of the most widely-celebrated holidays is fast approaching, and while it’s a terrifying amount of fun, take a minute to think about what ends up lurking in the trash to make sure your celebrations don’t haunt you as a curse on the environment!
Ghouls, Goblins and Ghosts, Oh My!
Commercial Halloween costumes are made from plastic, and millions of tons of them go to landfills every year. Here’s where creativity saves the day! Go through your cabinets and closets to adapt something into a costume, and check out your local secondhand shops or websites like Amazon Warehouse and eBay. See what magic you can put together! Need more inspiration? Ask Google for DIY ideas aplenty.
Looking for a ready-made costume? Check out local rental stores, or coordinate a costume swap with friends and family.
Overall, plan to reuse, sell, or donate your costume instead of tossing it in the trash.
Is That House Haunted?
Halloween and harvest decorations are tons of fun, and can be sustainable, too! Look for reusable, compostable, locally-sourced natural decor like pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks and colorful leaves. Household items like brooms, vintage books, tin cans, bottles, and jars make wonderful Halloween decor, especially when complemented with fairy lights. Painted cardboard boxes are perfect for a spooky graveyard. Check out this fantastic collection of upcycled ideas.
And Jack-o-Lanterns are always a big hit—just remember, 'Don’t Trash It, Smash It!’ On November 2 or November 9, take Jack to any of the local Pumpkin Smash extravaganzas or local food scrap drop-off for composting. Don’t leave Jack to haunt the landfill wondering where the party went!
Tricks AND Treats
When you trick-or-treat sustainably, you get a trick AND a treat. For our top trick, try decorating a bag for your kids’ trick-or-treat stash or stamping their handprints on an old pillowcase.
Now on to the treats. That’s a sticky one. Most candy is packaged in plastic, so look for candies that are wrapped in cardboard or paper, such as Milk Duds®, Nerds®, or Pixie Sticks®. There’s also eco-friendly candy! If you want to stick with chocolate, take a look at the Chocolate Scorecard, which grades companies on sustainability, child labor, and other ethics.
Come On In, Park Your Broom at the Door
If you’re hosting a Halloween party, avoid single-use. Reusable serveware, napkins and tablecloths are the goal, but plain paper compostables will do. And try serving finger-food so no utensils are necessary. But before you shop for ingredients, refresh yourself on our grocery-shopping tips.
Join the Environmental Action Committee as we work to justly affect climate change with the ultimate goal of preserving democracy by maintaining the health of our one and only planet and all that lives on it. Email us at environment@lwvchicago.org for access to our next meeting.