Keep Your Fright Night Eco-Friendly

You don’t have to let your green vision get lost in the season of orange and black. Staying eco-conscious takes just a little planning and ingenuity. We’re giving you a head start with some environmentally friendly Halloween ideas that would make Mother Nature proud.

Costumes

There are lots of creative ways to recycle what others have already used so that you aren’t buying a new costume every year:

• Your local thrift store will have pieces from a variety of decades, outfits that are bulky or bright, or that one-of-a-kind hat you’ve been searching for.
• Bring old getups back to life by organizing a neighborhood costume swap.
• Your recycling bin can be a treasure trove for all the pieces you would need for the perfect robot costume.

Trick or treating

When hoarding all those yummy treats, be sure to think about sustainability:

• You don’t have to buy a new bucket or jack-o’-lantern pail each year. Pull out those faded pillowcases you never use, and let the kiddos create customized treat bags they can carry year after year.
• Remember to light up the path to your front door using LED lights or solar-powered lamps so that trick-or-treaters can make a mad dash for the goodies.
• Shop in bulk for those sweet treats. You’ll also want to keep an eye out for candy that uses the least amount of packaging to minimize your carbon footprint.

Decorations

From indoor to outdoor decor, Web Ecoist’s blog Green Halloween: 13 Eco-Creepy Crafts & Decor has crafty creations for every level of do-it-yourselfers. Our favorite was repurposing x-rays as lampshades and votive holders.

Pumpkin carving

Decorating your orange gourd can be greenified:

• When picking your favorite pumpkin, visit the nearest farmer’s market, and buy locally to ensure carbon emissions are minimal.
• When your jack-o’-lantern starts to droop, compost your work of art so it’s not added to landfills producing greenhouse gases.
• Don’t toss those seeds – roast or toast them for a yummy treat. Did you know that pumpkin seeds are high in zinc, iron and other essential minerals?
• Be a green inspiration to your neighbors, and carve an energy-themed pumpkin this year using six patterns from gov.