Halloween is full of ghosts, goblins, and ghouls but don’t let your single-use plastic or polystyrene foam consumption haunt you. This Halloween make a conscious effort to have a plastic and foam-free Halloween celebration. Read on for more hauntingly good secrets on how to reduce your plastic and foam usage:
Halloween Costumes:
83% of the materials used in Halloween costumes are non-biodegradable plastics. This year, you can reduce this impact by choosing to get creative and find your costume elsewhere.
Thrifting: Head to your local thrift store and pick out pre-used, pre-loved clothing and accessories to make a unique costume for you or your family. A thrifted t-shirt not only reduces plastic materials in a new costume, but it also saves 2,650 litres of water from making and purchasing a new one.
Making: Take a look around your home and get crafty. Pull out the cardboard, glue, fabrics, scissors and more to create your costume. Easy options include the classics like a black cat, pirate, ghost, prom queen, or ‘where’s Waldo?’. Make this a family event by having the kids help and let them know the importance of reducing plastic and foam waste.
Borrowing: Ask a friend or family member if they already have a costume or parts of a costume that you’re looking for. You could offer to make this a fun, physically distanced clothing swap to help with everyone’s Halloween costumes this year.
Candy:
Only 9% of single-use plastic and polystyrene foam is actually recycled and oftentimes Halloween candies are wrapped in these materials. If you look, you’ll find candies wrapped in alternative, recyclable packaging. Here are some suggestions:
- Foil-wrapped chocolates like peanut butter cups
- Paper wrapped suckers and candy chews
- Boxed candy and chocolates like Junior Mints and Smarties
- Buying bulk candy for your home like jellybeans and candy corn
- Homemade treats for your home or immediate family or friends like Halloween cakes, cookies, or candy apples
Don’t forget, if you can trick-or-treat this year, it’s better to use a fabric bag or pillowcase to collect your candy over a plastic bag or pumpkin. A reusable shopping bag also does the trick.
Decorations:
It doesn’t feel like Halloween unless you have a few (or many) spooky decorations. Instead of going for the plastic pumpkins or Styrofoam tombstones this year, select reusable or recyclable decorations. Here are some suggestions:
- Paper or fabric bunting banners
- Paper ghost garlands
- Paper or foil window hangings
- Candlesticks safely melted over recycled wine bottles
- Previously used plant holders painted in orange or black. Paint twigs or pinecones black or orange too and glue them into the planters
- You can also check out the thrift store again and head to the housewares section of the store to find more pre-used decorations so you’re not buying new items
- You may also choose to craft your decorations such as using 100% recycled paper egg cartons to make mini Frankenstein’s, Pumpkins or Mummies
Have you watched Get Organized with The Home Edit? Are you inspired to shop bulk, thrift, or reduce your plastic and polystyrene waste in your home? We’d love to see your newly organized closets and pantries. Tag us in your photos using #ditchplasticpackaging.
