Best Eco Stuff

Like many holidays, Halloween is certainly all about conspicuous consumption. The throwaway costumes, the décor, and of course all those candy wrappers – most of it is destined for the dumpster, and few people consider whether what they’re buying is organic or fair trade. But, greening up your Halloween is easier than ever with all kinds of eco-friendly options available. Whether you’re hitting up some parties or taking the kids door-to-door, here are 5 ways you can make sure your Halloween is fun, fabulous and environmentally responsible.

Rent your costumes, or make them yourself. Halloween costume shops have dozens of costumes available for rental, so if you’re not exactly the creative type or you just don’t have the time to make your own costume, this is a great option. If you’re crafty, creating your outfit by hand is a fun project that kids will especially love to take part in – use scrap fabric, leftover craft supplies, cardboard and thrift store finds to make a costume unlike any other. Whatever you do, don’t buy those cheapo vinyl Halloween costumes that only last one night – they’re so wasteful.

Get creative with décor that’s reusable, recycled or natural. GreenHalloween.org has some cute DIY Halloween décor projects like a black cat made from a laundry detergent bottle, a tin can luminary and masks made of paper. If you’re going to buy new Halloween décor, make it stuff that will last for years into the future. Natural décor is always nice too – just use fall leaves, pumpkins, straw bales and other materials that evoke the season.

Choose a locally grown organic pumpkin, if they’re available in your area. Farmer’s markets are a great place to find local pumpkins as well as other seasonal produce and drinks like apple cider. Make use of all the pumpkin parts, too – roast the seeds and eat them for a nutritious snack, or allow them to dry and feed them to the birds in your backyard. Compost the pumpkin when you’re done with it.

Pass out fair-trade, organic treats instead of the same old processed, sugar-laden junk. Kids won’t exactly be pleased with health food that tastes like cardboard, but there are plenty of junk-food alternatives that are healthy and delicious. Clif Kid Zbars, ‘Bug Bites’ by Endangered Species Chocolate, Fair Trade Gold Coins and fruit leather will be welcomed into those treat bags for sure!

Turn trick-or-treating into a litter cleanup expedition. The kids are going to be walking down the street with flashlights anyway, and Halloween is one of the prime days for littering as children snack on candy and let the wrappers fly away in the wind. You might as well give your kids a little lesson on community service and environmentalism – just bring along an extra bag to carry the litter you pick up. You’ll all feel good about keeping your neighborhood clean, and the kids will have fun spotting trash with their flashlights as they walk.

Photo credit: Flickr user D’Arcy Norman