How to have an eco-friendly Halloween

Apart from the fact that they’re expensive, flammable and mostly unoriginal, shop bought Halloween outfits are a terrific burden on the environment. From the extortionate amount of water that is used to create them to the seven million costumes that will be thrown straight into the bin, and the microfibres released into the water from the ones that do get washed there are PLENTY of reasons against shop buying.

And let’s be frank, home-made costumes are far more unique and fun to create. From a simple “Sims” plumbob above your head to a classic play on words, the possibilities are endless. Or, for the scariest costume we could possibly imagine, why not dress up as the earth on fire? 

Photo by Cayla via Unsplash

If you’ve taken on the American tradition of trick-or-treating, why not whip up a few Halloween treats of your own? Apart from being tastier and more fun to look at, they’ll also reduce your consumption of packaging and likely will have a lower carbon footprint.

Suggest to any neighbours that they might do the same, and if you go trick-or-treating yourself, be sure to use a reusable carrier.

Rather than travelling to far-flung places, keep the frights closer to home. Host your own Halloween party to get everyone together and encourage car-pooling or the use of public transport.

Read scary stories and create a Halloween hunt in your garden for children to run around and find treats.

Photo by Brianna Santellan via Unsplash

Pumpkins are a wonderful Halloween tradition but can be more damaging to the environment than you’d originally think. Harmful pesticides and fertilizers are used during farming and the nature of their large-scale production means they can be transported over vast distances. Similarly, how you dispose of them once you’re done determines how big an impact they have. 

Don’t let their delicious innards go to waste and instead make a yummy pumpkin treat, even go so far as to save the pumpkin seeds either for you or the birds. Then, once your carved pumpkin is past it’s best, make sure to compost it rather than throwing it in the bin—this will prevent the release of methane as it breaks down.

Make sure to buy all produce your from local, organic shops and perhaps even try carving an alternative vegetable that you already have around the house! When Jack O’Lanterns originally became popular in the 1800s, people in Ireland and Scotland would carve faces onto potatoes and turnips to frighten away “Stingy Jack” and other roaming spirits.

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