Top tips for a greener Halloween

There are some seriously scary facts about Halloween:

• Two out of five Halloween costumes in the UK are only worn once before being thrown into landfill. Most are made from polyester (an oil-based plastic) and it’s estimated that this equates to around 83 million plastic water bottles!
• Many major sweet manufacturers have a huge impact on the environment. This is because the demand for sugar, palm oil and cocoa beans contributes to deforestation and species extinction. Many also still use non-recyclable packaging
• Around 8 million pumpkins will just be binned after Halloween

So… how can you enjoy Halloween without creating a nightmare for the planet?

Costume ideas

• The most sustainable costume is one you already own. Look in the wardrobe or borrow items from friends and family. Use face/hair paint, or fake blood to add spookiness
• Old sheets or pillowcases can make a great ghost costume
• Try swapping costumes. Suggest a swap on the school WhatsApp group
• Visit a local charity shop for old clothes you can turn into costumes (witches/wizards or ghouls and ghosts). Many will have a Halloween section in October. Don’t forget to give it back afterwards, if you won’t be using it again
• Check out costume hire shops and used clothing apps/websites, such as Vinted and eBay

Decoration ideas

• Making decorations can be fun, especially for children. There are lots of websites with ideas.
• Avoid buying fake spider webs. Not only are these usually plastic, they are also dangerous for small birds and bats which can become trapped in them, causing injury or death. If you use it, avoid decorating hedges or trees but drape over windows or doors instead. Even better – and cheaper – ask your children to make paper spider webs (there’s lots of advice on the internet)
• Save card and other materials that you would normally recycle to make witches hats, or bottles of ‘poison’ using food colouring. Children can then paint them
• Other ideas include using a pair of old tights, leggings or stockings stuffed with scrunched up newspaper and an old pair of shoes. Cover these in fake blood and hang from a door or window
• Visit a charity shop for spooky old bottles, candlesticks, foxed mirrors and dolls as well as other second-hand supplies – if you are going to invest in new decorations make sure these are good quality and reusable

Treats

• Instead of individually plastic-wrapped sweets, buy a large tub of unwrapped sweets, or think about making cakes or biscuits wrapped with decorated paper
• You can also find businesses which sell sustainable boxes of sweets with no plastic (eg Handy Candy, Treat them Green or Ethical Superstore)

Have a happy sustainable Halloween!