Some really scary facts about Halloween
- melora johnson
- Oct 11
- 3 min read
Try these 7 things to minimize your Halloween footprint this year.
Once a fun, relatively simple celebration with lovingly home made costumes and thoughtfully baked treats, Halloween has become one of the largest consumer spending holidays in the United States. An estimated $3.5 billion on candy and $3.8 billion on costumes will be spent this year alone. Now that is friggin’ scary, especially when you consider the repercussions on our planet! We all need something to celebrate and celebrate we will; but with a little more imagination and confidence and a little less competitive spirit, we can have fun without destroying our planet.
As a mom, I get it. It’s hard to say no. The stuff is everywhere starting in July, and our kids are amazed and tempted at every turn. We all want to be good parents. We want our kids to feel included, to have what everyone else has. But maybe it’s time to redefine what “being a good parent” really means. Maybe it’s time to consider that buying more doesn’t always equal giving more. Because while indulging these desires feels good in the moment, once the goblins crawl back into hiding and the witches fly off, what is left is put into landfill where it will remain until at some point our kids, or their kids will actually face the repercussions.
The number one thing you can do to make Halloween more eco-friendly is to resist buying stuff altogether and use what you already have.
Try having a conversation with your kids about all the waste. Take a trip to the local thrift store where you can cheaply and easily create your own costumes and decorations. Plan a costume swap for your kids and their friends. A fun way to get everyone together and excited for Halloween. Talk to your circle of people. There is strength in numbers. You will find many people feel the same way, but like you, probably need the support of a community for the confidence to do things differently. Compost your pumpkins and organic decor. Do the same with any left over candy instead of tossing it into trash in its wrapper. For those items you just can not resist purchasing? Reuse them year after year or donate to a charity or thrift store so someone else can.
Less than 1% of Halloween costumes are recyclable!
In 2023 it was estimated that
Honestly I do love Halloween as much as the average 6 year old. But what I love about it is the celebration and the excitement and the being together. The smell of fall in the chilly night air and the thrill of running around in the dark. This year give your wallet and our planet a much needed break. Send a message to whomever is producing all this crap that its not ok. We see how we are being manipulated. The memories last a lifetime but the plastic lasts even longer.
Pressure the Industry to do better with their packaging.
To contact candy manufacturers about eco-friendly packaging, find their sustainability or packaging departments online, research their current sustainability efforts, and then reach out with a concise proposal highlighting the environmental and business benefits of sustainable packaging, providing information on available materials like recyclable papers or compostable films.
3 of the largest Halloween candy manufacturers
Comments