28/10/2020
Here’s how to have a scarily fun celebration without spooking the environment!
🎃PICK A PUMPKIN
It isn’t Halloween without a pumpkin on your doorstep, but if you want to lower your carbon footprint, look for one grown closer to home. And don’t let that delicious pumpkin flesh go to waste, either. If you're going to scoop out the inside then use it in the kitchen instead of dumping it in the bin. Try making soup, a delicious vegetable curry, or a pumpkin pie.
🍭SWEETER TREATS
Using locally-sourced ingredients instead of buying them to make your own spooky Halloween sweets will not only cut your carbon footprint but will reduce the amount of packaging and wrappers you have to bin or recycle.
Make sure you use reusable buckets to carry them in, or use a canvas tote or a pillow case to make a swag bag.
💀GET CREATIVE
There are millions of poor-quality, cheaply made costumes sold every year for Halloween, often made from unsustainable materials, which later end up in the back of the cupboard or in the bin.
It’s also much greener – and more fun – to make your own costume. Look inside your wardrobe to see what you have that you can use first, and then visit vintage and thrift stores for any extra bits. And if you’re not good at making costumes there are plenty of places that will rent them to you.
🕸️CRAFTY DECORATIONS
Rather than cheap throwaway plastic decorations, either invest in ones that you’ll use for years to come, or make your own out of recyclable materials. There are loads of ideas on the internet for easy-to-make decorations: egg boxes, for example, cut into a strip of three cups and then painted black with some googly white eyes on the middle cup make great hanging bats.
🎉PLAN YOUR PARTY
If you’re throwing a party, try to avoid using disposable cups, plates and cutlery. If you don’t have enough of your own plates and glasses to use consider hiring party tableware, buying a set from a charity shop that you can bring out just for parties, or at least make sure to buy biodegradable versions.
And since it will naturally be warmer with more people in the house, if you turn your thermostat down by one degree while the party is on.
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