Add Green to Your Orange and Black for an Eco-Friendly Halloween!
Though Halloween is a pretty fun day, it can also be a wasteful time of year. We tend to buy costumes we wear once, buy new decorations every year and so on. We think more about the fun of the occasion than about the effect our choices will have on the environment. But there are some simple changes you can make this year to have an eco-friendly Halloween that’s still spooky and fun (and help you save some money in the process).
Costumes
It’s expensive and wasteful to buy new costumes every year. Instead, here are a few tips to recycle, reuse or create costumes:
1. Organize a costume swap. Your neighbors, friends, co-workers, family members and the community at large probably have costumes their children have outgrown or are tired of, and you probably have old costumes in your closet. Many of these Halloween costumes are only worn once and then tossed aside or discarded. Organize an intimate or community-wide swap program where you get to choose a costume for every costume you bring. Do the same with accessories like masks, hats and wigs.
2. Turn old costume pieces or wardrobe pieces into a “new” costume. For example, a graduation gown could be used to create a Harry Potter character or a judge. A vampire cape could be used for a sci-fi or fantasy character. Add accessories or makeup to create a baby look with your regular pajamas, to turn Western wear into a cowboy or cowgirl, to make a hippie with some bell bottoms, or to create other simple characters.
In addition, you always have the old standbys of turning a sheet into a ghost or a toga. Make them more creative and fun by holding a flashlight under the sheet to make the ghost glow or by painting or drawing a scary face on the sheet in addition to cutting eye holes. Create a crown from simple wire and add a belt to complete the toga costume.
3. Add to simple black clothing to create a costume. You can create many different costumes by starting with plain black clothes by sewing, painting, drawing or adding accessories. Add stitches to the clothes with white thread or paint bones on it with fabric glue to create a skeleton – you could even use glow-in-the-dark fabric glue.
A simple black dress can be used for many different costumes throughout the years when you add accessories. It could work for a witch, a cat, the bride of Frankenstein and more. Boys and girls can become monsters and zombies with a simple black outfit and a mask or makeup.
4. Utilize makeup. All you really need is makeup to create certain costumes. For example, you can wear plain clothing and use makeup to create a zombie with a simple technique or a more complicated and realistic technique, a monster, a simple cat or a more elaborate one, other types of animals, a pumpkin and many other fun Halloween creatures or characters. If the look isn’t quite right, add simple accessories like a homemade mask or an old hat. For example, create simple cat ears with a headband and some felt or construction paper.
Decorations
Try to be eco-friendly with your Halloween decorations as well. Reuse Halloween decorations from year to year instead of always buying new. Everything will still be exciting and fresh when you haven’t seen it for a year.
But if you yawn every time you see that ceramic pumpkin, buy some used decorations from garage sales, thrift stores or auction websites. Holiday decorations are popular items at these types of venues because they’re used once a year and people end up with too many or they get bored like you. You could also trade decorations with family members, friends, co-workers and neighbors, just as you did with costumes.
One idea to make yourself is a Halloween candle jar. Clean out and strip off the label of a used glass jar that was used for pickles, salsa or other foods. Use glass paint and create a jack-o-lantern, fall leaves, a zombie or any festive design. Add a candle and you have a glowing decoration you can reuse year after year.
Additional Changes
You can also make some small changes in addition to the costumes and decorations. Try to promote organic, environmentally-friendly treats to pass out. Think about the packaging, the ingredients and the company values when you buy your treats. As for carrying your treats, avoid throw-away candy bags. Instead, choose a bucket or sack that can be reused every year.
For a jack-o-lantern and decorative displays, choose organically grown pumpkins, gourds and other produce. Organically-grown produce is grown with natural methods, is held to stringent regulations and is processed without un-natural pesticides and preservatives.
Consider changing your candles for your Halloween ambiance. Regular candles are made of a petroleum byproduct so they let off unhealthy toxins into the air. Try electronic candles instead, which will continue to shine without going through endless wax candles. You might enjoy lighting pumpkin and other fall-inspired scents during the Halloween season. If this is the case, try soy candles. They do not have the same chemicals as regular candles.
Overall, try to simply think about the environment when you make choices for Halloween. Small changes can make a big difference, especially when you carry them out year after year. Then, do the same for every holiday!
(Photo by jaybergesen)
