Fast fashion, plastic waste, and more have made Halloween a notoriously harmful day for the environment. While it is easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of this spooky season, it is important to celebrate in an environmentally conscious way. Below are some tips on how to stay green this Halloween. 

Use reusable candy bags

If you decide to go trick-or-treating on October 31, consider using pillow cases, fabric totes, or reusable buckets instead of one-use plastic bags. Not only are these options better for the environment, but they are much sturdier and will hold more candy; it’s a win-win. 

Thrift your costumes

Fast fashion is extremely detrimental to the environment. According to Business Insider, the fashion industry makes up 10% of all humanity’s carbon emissions, it’s the second largest consumer of the world’s water supply, and pollutes oceans with microplastics. Instead of purchasing a brand new costume from websites like Zaful, SHEIN, or Amazon consider going to a local thrift store and being more creative with your look for the night. This is much more cost effective and kind to the environment. 

Sanderson Earth Science teacher Erin Pike has a great appreciation for Halloween. She enjoys the costumes, candy, and overall energy of the haunting holiday. However, she also recognizes the demand for staying green this year saying, “Buying reusable decorations, doing a costume exchange with friends, or purchasing costumes second hand are great ways to keep waste out of the landfills and save money.  Keeping this year’s Halloween celebration environmentally friendly will help future Halloweens to be fun, healthy, and safe for all.”

Buy local and compost

The best way to decorate for the season is with pumpkins. To help reduce your emissions, purchase your pumpkins from a local farmers market or grow your own. They are not only used to decorate your front porch, but they also give back to the earth. After using the insides to bake delicious fall treats or cooking the seeds as a quick snack, compost the rest of the pumpkin as it begins to die. Place your pumpkin in the area you would like it to decompose, smash it, cover with leaves, and let nature do its work. 

Reuse your decorations

Decorating your home and neighborhood for the holidays is a must. While there is nothing wrong with showing your Halloween spirit, it is extremely unnecessary to purchase new decorations every year. Saving and reusing your decorations also helps you to save money. If you do not have any decorations that you have previously purchased, you can be crafty and use things lying around your house.

Sanderson AP Environmental Science teacher Stephanie McCullough recognizes Halloween as an extremely wasteful holiday saying, “America is the most wasteful country in the world, and we are quickly running out of room for our trash. Finding alternatives or reusing materials for Halloween can be a great way to combat this.”

 Halloween is meant to be a fun and exciting day, but that does not mean we should not prioritize the environment. The human impact on environmental issues is becoming exponentially worse. There is no time like today to become more informed about these issues, and start doing the little things to help Earth thrive.