Green Halloween

Halloween can generate a surprising amount of waste, from candy wrappers and disposable decorations to single-use costumes and plastic treat buckets. Fortunately, a few thoughtful choices can greatly reduce environmental impacts while preserving the fun and tradition. These small changes can collectively foster healthier communities.

Opt for sustainable Halloween costumes. Avoid throwaway plastic outfits. Instead, create do-it-yourself costumes by swapping with friends, shopping the closet or visiting secondhand stores. Even household items can inspire super-creative looks.

Rethink the trick-or-treat container. Skip buying new plastic pumpkins each year. Choose decorated canvas tote bags, reusable fabric buckets, small wicker baskets, repurposed pillowcases or other upcycled containers.

Make smarter treat choices. Select treats with minimal packaging to reduce litter, such as bulk candy for parties and non-food gifts like Halloween erasers, temporary tattoos, pencils, bookmarks or seed packets. Prioritize candies in compostable cardboard boxes or recyclable foil; fair-trade chocolate bars wrapped in paper; or locally made treats to avoid long-distance shipping.

Decorate with natural materials . Use natural, biodegradable decorations to minimize waste. Great options include real pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks, hay bales, branches, twigs, dried flowers, pinecones, acorns, moss and fallen leaves. These often compost naturally at season’s end. Seasonal flowers add color and vibrance.

Create home decor with upcycled or reusable materials. This can become a cherished family tradition. Use reclaimed glass jars and bottles, old cardboard boxes, tin cans, recycled paper, fabric scraps, paint, shells, dried beans, paper bags or bedsheets to craft themed lanterns, garlands and spooky characters.

Avoid hazardous decorations. Some outdoor decor unintentionally harms wildlife. Artificial spider webbing is particularly dangerous, trapping birds and small mammals. It is especially unsafe when strung from trees in bird flight paths or where animals forage. Animals might even ingest the material inadvertently.

Avoid glitter-covered decorations that shed microplastics, polluting the soil and waterways. Single-use plastic decor and disposable inflatables made from non-renewable fossil fuels are also problematic because they break into persistent microplastics that contaminate ecosystems.

Dispose of pumpkins naturally. At the end of the holiday, instead of throwing pumpkins into the trash, leave them outside for wildlife; donate them to local farms, zoos and animal shelters; or compost them.

Practice good habits with outdoor Halloween lights. Use LED lights, which are safer, last longer and consume 80 to 90 percent less power than incandescent lights. LEDs are also safer than candles. Unplug cords when not in use. Turn off outdoor lights late at night to save energy, prevent fire risk and extend the lifespan of the bulbs.

Save seasonal decor for next year. Keep reusable items for the following Halloween, including decorative baskets, ceramic pumpkins and fall-themed signs. This saves money and reduces waste.