Packaged candy, packaged costumes, packaged decorations — the only thing scary about Halloween anymore is the price tag. But let your eco-conscience be your guide and make this year’s celebration more spirited and less costly.
For inspiration, we pulled these tricks from our green treat bag:
» “Make your costumes out of vintage or used clothes, rather than buying a costume that’s probably made from a nonrenewable, petroleum-based material like polyester or vinyl and that you’ll likely throw out after the holiday,” says Emily Main at the National Geographic Green Guide. Vinyl products, she says, contain hormone-disrupting chemicals called phthalates, and some even contain lead. For gatherings, offer prizes for the most original costumes.
» No time for homemade? Get free costumes and recycle your old ones on community-based freecycle.org and craigslist.org.
» Decorate a locally grown, organic pumpkin. Find area farms at localharvest.org.
» More decor ideas: Why buy when you can collect free stuff outside? Look for interesting leaves, acorns, garden trimmings.
» Trick-or-treat in the neighborhood; no gas needed.
» Collect donations for charity, instead of candy. “I Trick or Treated for UNICEF in college [with] a local community service group,” Main says. “It was a total blast.” This campaign helps impoverished children; get details at unicefusa.org.
» Skip the plastic; collect goodies in reusable bags.
» For parties, if you must use disposables, look for those with recycled content or compostables.
» Compost pumpkins instead of trashing them.
Yummy alternatives to candy
Why settle for junk food laden with high fructose corn syrup and wasteful packaging, when you can choose treats that beat sweets:
» Apples and other seasonal fruits.
» Delicious organic candies such as ginger chews, fruit strips and Wild Berry Naturepops. Gluten-free, no-animal-product and peanut-free choices ward off allergy-triggered scares. A good source: veganessentials.com.
» Serve apple cider hot or cold instead of sodas or hot chocolate.
» Buy “Fair Trade Certified” chocolates so you’re not supporting farm operations that use chemical pesticides, child labor or poorly treated workers.
» Popcorn! Cook from dry kernels to avoid the toxins and extra calories of microwavables. Season it creatively with cinnamon, chili powder and other flavorful things — for healthy ideas, visit lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciqtips-apr03-popcorn.htm.
More than just a scary face
Pumpkins aren’t just decor; they’re good food!
» Use pumpkins for pies, soups, flan, pastas or as a main dish. For recipes, visit vrg.org/recipes/vjpumpkin.htm and vegweb.com.
» Save and bake pumpkin seeds to share with friends — or with birds.
Robin Tierney is a freelancer who writes about health and environment issues. Reach her at [email protected].
