DIY Halloween is Greener, Kinder

DIY Jack-o-Lantern

Here in the U.S., we’re predicted to spend over $7 billion on Halloween this year. That’s billion. And most of what we’re buying is not so great for the planet. This year, use your crafty prowess to have a greener, kinder Halloween.

From candy linked to child slavery to single-use decorations that head straight to the landfill on November 1st, Halloween has a dark side that goes beyond ghosts and goulies. Just like with decorations, Halloween costumes are none too green. Those store-bought costumes are often made in China using unsustainable materials like plastic and polyester. Yuck! This Halloween, you can use your crafty skills to put make sure that green guilt doesn’t taint your Halloween fun!

The Candy

Grocery store candy comes with a hefty carbon footprint, and some chocolate companies, like Hershey’s, even have links to child slavery. Boo! Get crafty this year to make sure you’re not serving up cruelty in those trick-or-treat bags.

  • Stickers! Kids love stickers. Instead of candy, you can give out reusable stickers that you make from reclaimed paper.
  • Fair Trade. If you’re dead set on giving out candy, check out the co-op or health food store. Many fair trade brands offer Halloween-themed candy that’s a good size for treat bags.

I’d recommend making treats to give away, but many parents are wary of hand-wrapped Halloween candy, thanks to urban legends about people tainting Halloween treats. There’s a good chance those lovingly-concocted cookies and candies will end up getting tossed for safety reasons.

The Decorations

We have been all about the DIY Halloween decor around here. Skip the party store, and try some of these DIY decorations instead!

The Costumes

Who wants a store-bought costume, when you can whip up one yourself, and have control over the materials that went into it? Here are a few upcycled costume elements that you can make yourself!

Need an entire costume? Here are a few ideas to get you going:

If making a costume is too much, you can also swap costumes with a friend of even online to get a new-to-you Halloween costume with none of the waste.

Photo by Karen Lee

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