Halloween is a beloved holiday filled with costumes, decorations, and festivities, but it unfortunately also generates a significant amount of plastic waste. From store-bought decorations to single-use party supplies, the environmental impact of this spooky celebration cannot be ignored.
There are easy ways to have an eco-friendly Halloween without sacrificing the fun and excitement. By embracing DIY decorations and costumes while cutting back on single-use plastics for parties, we can all contribute to a greener Halloween. Let’s explore 3 easy yet effective ways to reduce plastic waste this Halloween season.
1) Decorations Consider using natural decorations such as pumpkins, leaves, and gourds. For any DIY projects that you may want to try for the season, aim for plastic-free materials such as cardboard, paper, and natural twine. You can easily find items in your home to get started!
While I love browsing the stores for Halloween decorations, I’ve decided to invest in a few simple pieces that I can reuse each year. It saves me money, keeps my space free from clutter, and from needing extra storage space.
The total plastic waste footprint of Halloween will be even higher once you take into account other Halloween plastic such as party kits and decorations, much of which are also plastic, or food packaging.
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2) Costumes Halloween costumes can be very expensive, and they’re often not made from very good material. Not only are you spending a fortune for one night (or a few if you have multiple parties to attend) but you probably won’t be able to, or want to wear it again next year. This Halloween let’s find affordable and eco-friendly alternatives for our costumes. Some ideas include,
- Declutter your closet and find pieces you can use for your DIY Halloween costume
- Ask your friends or family members if they have gently used items that they can give you and offer to do the same with your pieces if they’re interested
- If you have friends or family members that wear the same size, consider trading/swapping your previous Halloween costumes
- Visit the thrift store for a full costume or for any remaining pieces you need for your DIY costume
- Keep things simple and fun by getting creative with face paint and makeup
Did you know? An environmental group called Hubbub found that 83% of Halloween costumes are made using non-recyclable oil-based plastics. From just one day of use, almost 2,000 tonnes of plastic waste are headed to the landfill, which is equivalent to 83 million plastic bottles.
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3) Parties If you’re hosting a Halloween party, avoid using single-used plastics. As convenient as it may be to clean up at the end of the night, they can take anywhere from 20 to 500 years to decompose in the landfill.
If using glass plates, cups, and silverware isn’t an option or you don’t have enough, consider including compostable cutlery and plates. Although these typically cost more, it’s an additional charge on top of how much you would be spending on single-use plastics.
Another great idea is to put the recycling, compost, and garbage bin out in the open. We’ve all been in a situation where we throw things in the garbage because it’s the only bin we can find. You can mention where these bins are to your guests when they arrive, or you can create labels so it’s easy for them to put things in the proper bin. This method makes cleaning up at the end of the night so much easier!
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By following these easy steps, we can significantly reduce our environmental footprint while still enjoying all the thrills of Halloween. Let’s make it a tradition to celebrate an eco-friendly Halloween every year – one that not only brings joy but also leaves behind a cleaner and greener planet for future generations to enjoy. Do you have any eco-friendly tips for this spooky season? Share your thoughts! For more eco-friendly related posts, visit my tag here.
Thank you so much for this post, great list of ideas! Halloween is my FAVORITE time of the year and I’ve been shifting over the years to multi-use items that I love rather than the typical items with one use. Decorations that can be used forever, costumes from my own closet or using pieces that I can wear again, and investing in better quality costume props when necessary so they last. Like, I’ll reuse a costume in a few years for one of the events I have and no one will care.
Yes, I agree! It’s wonderful that so many people are looking for ways to be more sustainable with their decorations and costumes. It makes Halloween so fun because you’re getting creative. Thank you for reading Kal!
These are fantastic ideas! I’m all for natural and DIY decor, and that’s a good idea to DIY, thrift, or swap Halloween costumes. Also, that’s a great suggestion for having a bin for garbage, recycling, and compost out for guests to use.
I’m glad you agree! Having the bins out where everyone can see them just makes cleaning up so much easier. Thank you for reading Karalee!
Fantastic post! I love how you’ve incorporated all the fun of Halloween but keeping it as eco as possible! We aren’t really doing anything this year but next year we’ll be having more fun when my little niece or nephew is here and I can put some of this into action!
That’s great to hear Nyxie! There are so many easy and affordable ways to celebrate Halloween and I’m glad you’ll be using some of these tips next year!
Halloween has always been my favorite holiday to celebrate–I think it’s all just so fun! Costumes can be a big ugh when it comes to sustainability, for sure. I like to make my own if I can scrounge up the time. And if that means pulling a bunch of “regular” stuff from my closet for a night of fun, well…
It’s a great way to get creative and often ends up being a ton of fun! Thank you for reading ER!
Thanks for the tips for Halloween, I agree that we have to be more aware of not generating a lot of waste or buying things on impulse, at home I usually decorate the cushions in the living room and some other details without overloading more than necessary.
That’s great! Having a few items not only keeps your space free from clutter, but also allows you to celebrate the season. Thank you for reading Rebeca!
There are so many ways to make sure that how we celebrate or take part in Halloween is eco-friendly, and I love the reminders, suggestions and tips included here! We can really make sure we don’t create too much waste or use too much plastic—great post!
Thank you Molly! It’s really easy to overlook, especially during Halloween. By making small changes, it’s a great way to reduce our plastic usage and waste overall.
Hello!
A very inspiring post. Thank you for these suggestions 🙂 I can’t wait for this holiday 🙂
Greetings from Poland!
Thank you so much Klaudia! I hope you enjoy your Halloween!
Wow, I didn’t realise the carbon footprint that Halloween and other holidays leave. These are really great suggestions: swapping costumes or making your own DIY costume from what’s in your closet are great ideas.
Thank you Amethyst! It’s a great way to save money and reduce your carbon footprint during this holiday.
These are cool things to do and this month is my favorite of the year. So, it’s perfect for doing these things.
Thank you Fransic!
I had no idea that Halloween costumes were made with som much non-recyclable waste. It’s such a wise decision to go back to clothing-based costumes. Of course there are likely billions of candy wrappers that will also end up in our landfill from this night as well. Great post Winnie and great food for thought for all of us.
It’s truly staggering how one night can create so much plastic waste. It’s too bad more companies don’t look into cardboard packaging for candies, I think that would make a difference. Thank you for reading Jodie!