5 Ways to Create a Sustainable Halloween

When we think of the word sustainability we often think of local, ethical, materials, manufacturing, the impact on the environment and the list goes on… There’s many aspects that go into the word sustainability and we are all trying to learn more, do better and be better. 

This year, Halloween can be an opportunity to question what we’ve done in the past and dive deeper into how we can have a more mindful celebration. I would never say skip the chocolate or costumes but doing one thing differently this year that is better for the planet and people can be the goal. How can we make it more sustainable? Read on to see 5 ways you can have a more sustainable Halloween celebration.

1. Let’s Talk Chocolate

The power of refusal is a beautiful and empowering thing. Saying no to purchasing chocolate wrapped in plastic this year can be one thing you do differently. Focusing on purchasing chocolate or candy that comes in paper that can be recycled afterwards is one way to create less waste and easy for recipients to recycle. And when you receive plastic wrapped chocolate, recycle afterwards at your recycling depot! Choosing certified Fairtrade chocolate is another way to be more mindful in the sweets department this year. There may be a cost difference, for good reason, so you could do a hybrid of Fairtrade chocolate and paper wrapped chocolate to save money. Whether you’re handing out chocolate or hosting a party, there’s many ways to be more sustainable when it comes to chocolate this year.

2. Costumes

The big question, what am I going to dress up as this year? Firstly, we can think twice about purchasing a costume made out of plastics, synthetic materials or full of sparkles and get creative! Shop in your closet first and see how you can make your own clothes and makeup work for a costume. Or maybe you do a repeat from a few years ago? Zoe our dog has been a pumpkin for 6 years now! ;) Reach out to friends or family to see if you can borrow or swap a costume. Visit a secondhand store or rent a costume. Let’s all spend a few more minutes planning out our costumes this year. My son was so excited to be a submarine, we made it out of cardboard from a delivery package! See below:

3. Reusable Trick or Treat Bag:

We’ve all seen the plastic pumpkin baskets kids use in the movies. Now it’s time to switch it up! If you already have a plastic basket, reuse and reuse as that’s the first step to a more sustainable life. Take care of it by storing it properly to last years. If you don’t have anything for the kiddos, invest in a woven basket (choose neutral to use all year long), reuse a pillow case for those older kids, sew your own bag or purchase a cotton canvas tote. We love The Market Bags collection made by hand in Canada, shop here (use code PURPOSEFUL10 for 10% off!) Each of these you can reuse over and over again and should last a long time. A cotton tote is also machine washable and can be passed down to generations! A trick or treat bag or basket can be a one time purchase for life and not something we throw away every year.

4. Let’s Get Decorating

Head to your bin of spooky items first before purchasing anything new. We often forget what we already have and it’s easy to get distracted at the stores when it’s full of new and exciting items. If you’re adding or starting your halloween decoration bin, it’s best to focus on timeless, less is more, quality and making long term investments. Hello 7 foot spooky skeleton! Remember to pick a budget and stick to it, that could mean 3 quality items instead of 10. I may sound like a broken record but storing your items properly is so important to use year after year. You can also decorate with natural items you can compost afterwards like pumpkins, leaves and more! Make it an art project like these DIY ghost leaves below. Oh and don’t forget, finding secondhand items can save you money too! 

5. It’s Pumpkin Season

The most natural way to celebrate halloween! Who doesn’t love to go to the pumpkin patch and pick out their favouite pumpkin to carve? It’s a fun tradition and one that supports your local farmers. Decorating inside and outside of the home with pumpkins creates zero waste as it can be composted afterwards. Before you compost your pumpkin, think about who could benefit from your pumpkin first? If you haven’t carved it, eat it! Make a pie, soup or even dog treats with it. If it’s been carved give it to a farm who has  small animals that would love to eat it. Take it one step further this year with your pumpkins!

Have a garden? Try growing pumpkins! We grew pumpkins on an arch this year and it was magical! We chose the Moranga variety from West Coast Seeds- see here! We also posted a YouTube video on how we grew a pumpkin arch! WATCH HERE.

Well there you have it! A few new or different ways to make your Halloween a little more sustainable this year. A common theme in this article is we all have choices. We have many choices that are one step better than what we have done in the previous years. We have a choice to create new habits. We have a choice to purchase a new item that will last a long time. You can create a sustainable Halloween that is attainable for you. 

We hope some of the tips above have guided you to think about celebrating this Halloween a little more purposefully this year. Remember, one step at a time and make it fun!

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