A Spookily Sustainable Halloween
We know that Halloween will look a little different this year. Whether you're celebrating at home, carving pumpkins, or trick-or-treating in a socially distanced way, we wanted to give you some tips & tricks for a more sustainable Halloween!
Tip #1 - Pumpkins
Pumpkins are a classic part of Halloween, but did you know that in 2014 the USA threw away 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins out of the 2 billion pounds grown...scary right? (Source: US Department of Energy)
Instead of trashing your pumpkins, try these sustainability tips:
🎃 Try purchasing pumpkins from your local farmers market or a local pumpkin patch to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transporting pumpkins long distances. This is also a great way to support local farmers.
🎃 If you have compost available, compost any pumpkins that you carved.
🎃 Reuse any pumpkins that you bought for decoration and turn them into yummy treats. Pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread are two classic favorites!
Tip #2 - Save the Pumpkin Seeds!
If you’re craving pumpkins, bake the seeds to reduce food waste. Baking pumpkin seeds is pretty simple! You'll need pumpkin seeds, olive oil, and sea salt. Once you've cleaned your pumpkin seeds and removed the pumpkin "guts", you'll place them on a baking sheet and put olive oil and sea salt on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 5-10 minutes, or until the seeds are golden brown. Once they are cooled, you’re ready to enjoy!
Tip #3 - Costumes
Halloween costumes are usually worn for a few hours and can clog up thrift stores until next Halloween or are sent to the landfill.
Rather than buying a pre-made costume from a Halloween store, consider these tips to help reduce costume waste:
🎃 Browse your closet or a friend's closet for pieces of a costume that you might already have.
🎃 Hit up thrift shops for pieces that you need to add to your costume.
🎃 Reuse past costumes and give them a new life.
Tip #4 - Candy 🍭
Planning on handing out candy this year for Halloween? Choose candy that comes in little paper boxes rather than those wrapped in plastic, which can't be recycled. Wanting some candy for you and your family? Try shopping at a bulk candy store, if available, to reduce waste!
Tip #5 - Decor 🍁
Looking to add fall decor to your home? Try adding natural decor to your home that you find in your backyard, such as colorful leaves in a pretty bowl or pinecones. Not only does this reduce waste related to packaging these items, it also saves you money too!
If you’re planning on decorating your front porch, try adding in real pumpkins or gourds to your porch to create a festive autumn vibe. These are better than plastic alternatives, as real pumpkins can be used to make a yummy pumpkin pie or composted after use on your porch.
Tip #6 - Trick-or-Treating!
If your planning on socially distancing & trick or treating this year, give these sustainability tips a try!
🎃 Walk around your local neighborhood rather than driving to another one to reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to driving.
🎃 Use an old pillowcase, reusable bag, or bucket to hold candies and other goodies.