Forget orange. It is time to get green when it comes to Halloween.
Most often when holidays arrive, we give ourselves permission to throw away our normal good habits and indulge. That is why come Halloween time, I find myself buying bags of processed Halloween candy, and not all of it goes to the trick-or-treaters.
But wouldn’t it be nice if we could use holidays, no matter what they are, as a motivation to find new ways to go green? Think about what an impact that would make: green teacher’s day, green fourth of July, green sweetest day, etc.
Okay, but I am getting ahead of myself. Why don’t we start with one of our next upcoming holidays: Halloween.
Green Treats
This year, instead of individually wrapped candy, we are giving out coupon booklets for local fast food and family friendly restaurants. They are printed on paper that is hopefully recycled once redeemed. Other choices are home made candy or treats (assuming your neighborhood kids know you well enough to accept these kinds of treats) or candy wrapped in paper instead of plastic. Pixie sticks or junior mints are a good example.
Avoid buying the individual plastic treat bags to fill with candy. If you must have bags, hunt out the old fashioned paper ones, or purchase small sized paper bags from craft stores.
The Treat Bag
Forget the fancy plastic bags for collecting treats. The same goes for plastic pumpkins and buckets. An old fashioned pillow case that is decorated works very nicely, and it won’t hurt the environment. You can also use any reusable cloth bag for the job. Repurpose one that you use for your groceries.
Green Costumes
Avoid the plastic costumes and masks. Opt for fabric costumes, made of natural materials, if possible. Here are some alternatives to purchasing a costume. Make one out of recycled materials around your home (robot anyone?) or get together with friends this month to trade the kids’ outgrown costumes.
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