By: Hailey Miller, Staff Writer
Halloween is just around the corner, and the unsustainability that comes with it is what should really give you a scare. Halloween waste amounts to a staggering 2,000 tonnes of plastic waste, equivalent to 83 million plastic bottles. To add to that, over 83% of Halloween costumes are thrown into landfills each year. Halloween is my favourite holiday, and every year, I try to put an effort into celebrating sustainably. Just because Halloween thrives on consumerism doesn’t mean you have to buy into everything that’s advertised. Halloween can be just as fun and festive when it’s eco-friendly.
Each year during the haunting season, waste from festivities, decorations, costumes, individually wrapped candies, and more end up in landfills. Avoiding individually wrapped chocolates and candies is hard — I get it, there are health and safety concerns in accepting unsealed candy from strangers. It’s difficult to do much about this candy-coated truth, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try at all. There are other ways that Halloween lovers can enjoy the holiday without being wasteful. While we can’t reduce our waste with a flick of our witchy spell-binding sustainability stick, making conscious decisions can help save the planet and your wallet.
There’s no shame in jazzing up an old fit and giving it a makeover. You can make your own costumes from old clothing, or reuse ones from previous years. Another activity that’s been growing in traction these days is costume swaps — either in an organized group, or among friends and family. Consider checking out your local thrift store for used outfits and accessories. It’s time to move past the consumerist idea that you need to have the newest, trendiest costumes every year. The same is true for Halloween decorations — and any holiday decorations, for that matter.
It’s easy to assume that one day a year can’t do much environmental damage, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Small actions add up, especially considering that almost half of Canadians participate in Halloween.
Remember to compost your Jack-O-Lanterns and any other pumpkins that aren’t edible. Have some extra leaves lying around in your yard that you spent way too long raking? Use them for fall props and add a little autumnal pizzazz to your outdoorsy décor. If you’re hosting a party or get-together, try to use reusable cutlery, plates, and napkins. If this isn’t possible, look for paper plates and napkins that can be composted in your city compost or recycled properly. When decorating, try to use repurposed and recycled decorations, and if you’re making decorations, use old craft supplies and materials that you’d find around your house or lawn. DIY costumes and homemade décor are not only a great way to participate in a more sustainable Halloween, but they also make the experience more personal. Why not create a one-of-a-kind handmade decoration, or add a personal touch to your costume if you can? The reduce, reuse, recycle rule applies to Halloween too — loving the holiday isn’t a good reason to participate in mass consumerism.
