Most of us can’t resist indulging in the celebration of
Halloween. It’s the night of the year
where we excitedly combine fright with fun.
However, modern day Halloween has become a nightmare on our health, our
teeth and our environment when you factor in the copious amounts of sugar, the
array of packaging surrounding that candy and the toxic decorations and
costumes that have become staples of the day.
Many of us strive to be healthy and green in today’s society but, of
course, no one wants to be a victim of the trick side of trick-or-treat by
becoming the Halloween bah humbug. So
how do we partake in the enjoyment while still being health and environmentally
conscious? Here are some hints to
accomplish that task.
Think outside the candy bag!
Instead of filling your trick or treaters' baskets with candy, be
creative with your hand-outs and try crayons, pencils, erasers, stickers or
bubbles. For those who just can’t resist your sweet tooth, choose organic
candy. Organic means less environmental
damage during production and transportation and the healthier ingredients are
less compromising on your body. If you
just can’t stray from the traditional Kit-Kats and Laffy Taffies, choose
options that come in individual boxes rather than plastic to ensure the
opportunity for the packaging to find its way to the local recycle center
instead of the landfill.
Leave those toxic costumes behind. Halloween is meant to be entertainingly scary
not terrifyingly scary. Most of the
costumes filling out your local Halloween retailers’ shelves are composed of
non-recyclable petro-chemical based plastic and synthetic fibers. In simple terms this means stuff that not
only creates havoc on the environment but have been shown to be absorbed by the
human body causing negative alterations to our make-up. So look for costumes made of natural fibers
and materials. Or better yet, look in
your closet or your friend’s closet for a disguise you can reuse or create!
Bring out the artist in you.
Once you come up with your green costume, paint your face instead of
investing in those overpriced plastic and rubber masks. Be sure to look for non-toxic face paint
before you begin your masterpiece.
Don’t just use your creative talents for face painting. Put your artistry to the test with your
decorations. You don’t need to be
Picasso to stuff a bedsheet with leaves to make a ghost or to scatter black
yarn to create the image of spiders. And
what better ways to cover your windows than with the artwork that comes home
from school with your little ones?
Try to resist those little one’s negotiations for a new bag
to tote around the neighborhood on the big day.
Fill up a pillowcase, reusable shopping bag or last year’s bucket instead. After all, it’s what’s on the inside that
counts!
Last but certainly no least,
consider using LED lighting to illuminate your home and to keep your walkway
safe for the vampires, witches, princesses and cartoon characters that are
planning to find their way up to your door.
Not only do they save energy but they will save you money in the long
term.
Now that you are on your way to a
green Halloween, don’t forget to save it all for next year! Be sure to package up all those costumes,
lights, decorations and goodie bags you used to make your October spectacular
and use them again when the ghosts and goblins resurface next season. This
will help your goal of having a spooky Halloween without actually having to be
scared for your health and your environment.