~ October  16th 2023 – Blog by UCRRA Recycling Educator Tanesia White~

What’s the scariest thing about Halloween? It’s not ghosts or ghouls, it’s the waste! According to the National Retail Foundation, “Halloween spending is expected to reach a record $12.2 Billion as participation exceeds pre-pandemic levels.”

I get it! Halloween is the one time of year when you can indulge in costumes, candy, treats and tricks, but what if I told you Halloween doesn’t have to turn into “Plasticween?”

Costumes

Starting with costumes, there are plenty of ways to go green this Halloween. Avoid last-minute costumes at pop-up Halloween stores/sections and instead, plan your costume by visiting your local thrift store. Not only will you be able to wear your items again, but you will also save money by avoiding a plastic costume!

Do you have old costumes that you don’t want to wear again? Organize a clothing swap with friends and family, sell them online, or donate them to a charitable organization.

*Halloween costumes are made from non-renewable materials. The use of fossil fuels in the production of these costumes contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and exacerbates resource depletion. Halloween costumes are manufactured quickly and with a focus on cost over durability, which is why they are prone to breaking. Washing plastic Halloween costumes releases microplastics into our waterways, harming wildlife before entering the human food chain.

Looking for Halloween costume ideas? See below!

Decorations

As the weather gets colder, we retreat indoors, often attempting to make our homes as cozy as possible. Fortunately, nature provides some of the most beautiful decorations! Bring the outdoors in with pine cones, dried oranges, a leaf garland, dried corn, and other decorations!

If you plan on pumpkin carving, make sure you have enough room and dedicated bowls to separate the guts from the seeds. This will allow you to save your pumpkin scraps to make soups, pies and roasted pumpkin seeds. Avoid landfilling your pumpkin after Halloween! Instead, use carved pumpkins to feed animals or as a bird feeder. If your pumpkin is rotten, compost it after removing any non-compostable items such as plastic candles, fake teeth, etc.

*According to WasteDive, “as [the] Halloween season comes and goes, millions of pumpkins will find their way to the trash – adding more than 1.3 billion pounds [of food waste] to landfills across the nation.” This would be the equivalent to greenhouse gas emissions from:

Treats not Tricks

Halloween candy is often packaged in non-recyclable plastic film.
Avoid candy in single use packaging by:

  • Preparing your own Halloween goodies.
  • Having visitors bring a treat to share.
  • Buying candy in bulk.
  • Eliminating single-use dishes, cutlery, and glasses.
  • Asking guests to bring their own containers to transport food home.

Have any other green tips for Halloween? Share them by emailing twhi@ucrra.org!