Once upon a time, Halloween was a Celtic ritual which celebrated the end of the harvest season and the coming winter months. Fast forward to today, the holiday is a little less spiritual and a lot more commercial. From costumes to candy to decorations, Halloween is a billion dollar industry. Unfortunately, with that kind of consumption come downright spooky impacts on our environment that last long after we’ve gobbled the last of that Halloween candy. While Halloween can be a wasteful holiday, it doesn’t have to be! There are lots of places where you can make more sustainable and eek-o-friendly choices this Halloween without giving up the spooky good times to keep it green.
What to Wear
Costumes, masks, and props go hand in hand with Halloween. It’s the one night of the year where anything goes, wardrobe wise. Dress-up can be scary: zombies, vampires, ghosts, witches, and devils. But what’s in many of these manufactured costumes is the scary part: chemicals such as lead, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), cadmium, and other toxins. Not exactly something you want covering your face or body (or your child’s) – plus, they usually can’t be recycled. So this Halloween, skip the mass produced store-bought costumes. After all, the hidden dangers and negative environmental impact outweigh even the best compliments from other Halloween goers!
So, what to do instead? With a little planning and creativity, even the least savvy DIY-er can whip together a great costume. Look around your friend’s and family’s closets – what baby boomer doesn’t have a ghastly outfit waiting to be reborn? (Think hippie, disco, or 80’s work-out chic). And you don’t only have to stick to the closet – bed sheets make great ghosts, Greek gods and goddesses, or mummies, to name a few. Get creative – almost all costumes can be made with things around the house.
If you simply can’t find the right items at home, head to a second-hand store such as Goodwill or Value Village. After all, one person’s trash is another’s treasure!
How to decorate
Just like costumes, most Halloween decorations are made from non-recyclable plastics, and ultimately end up in a landfill. Why not have a fun and craftacular weekend by making eco-spooky decorations yourself using items around the house? It’s amazing what you’ll find, and how much fun you will have in the process – egg cartons, cans, bottles, bedsheets, and other items can be transformed into spiders, spooky lanterns, ghosts, and more.
If you’re not feeling particularly creative, take to nature, as the forest in fall has plenty of wonderful, organic, local, and best of all – free, decorations. Pinecones, leaves, and branches can be transformed into a wreath, or used on their own as decoration. Failing that, make a pilgrimage to a nearby farm to stock up on gourds and pumpkins. All of these items can be composted after Halloween, leaving you and your family with a healthy eek-o-conscience.
If some natural and recycled decor simply isn’t going to cut it, there are still eco-friendly options available. Some stores offer interesting alternatives, such as a solar-powered light-up zombie, tombstones made from purely recycled materials, or decorations using LED lights. Be a savvy consumer, and find out exactly what is in the products you buy. Better yet, properly store your decorations so you can use them year after year, and therefore be far less wasteful.
Trick-or-Treat!
The tradition of trick-or-treating dates back to an old English tradition – All Souls’ Day. On this day, poor citizens would beg for food, and wealthier citizens would give them pastries (“soul cakes”) in exchange for a promise to pray for their family’s deceased kin. Today, trick-or-treating embodies an exercise in greed and overconsumption. The average child comes back from trick-or-treating with loot in excess of 10 pounds – not good for either the child’s health or the Earth.
Most families tend to give out individually wrapped candies to their trick-or-treaters. While it would be great to give out baked goods or fruits, due to health and safety concerns this is often frowned upon. Instead, try to find organic or fair trade sweets, to escape many of the chemicals that are scarier than your neighbour’s zombie costume. Or, think outside the candy-box, and give out small toys or school supplies instead. If you absolutely must give out classic individually wrapped and sugar-high candies, simply hand out less. Instead of offering a handful to each child, give one. This will be both better for the child’s health, and better for the planet, because fewer resources go into making, packing, transporting, and disposing the candy.
When it comes to hauling the loot around, make sure to choose a reusable sack. Pillow cases, canvas bags, or sports bags are far better for the environment than the alternative, paper or plastic. Use non-toxic paint to decorate, and your sacks will sure to be a neighbourhood hit!
You can still have a scarily good time without costing the planet. From costumes to decorations to candy, you can make your Halloween less wasteful, but just as fun. Ottawa Life wishes everyone a safe and happy Halloween!