Waste Free Halloween ideas

I love a celebration, and I’ve always loved fancy dress for Halloween (I once was fully body painted as a leopard, but thats for another day).

But more and more, the sheer amount of waste that comes with these celebrations frustrates me.

Supermarkets are full of single-use cr*p, stuff wrapped in plastic… so much waste! Halloween is a money maker, and brands are pumping out as much as they can for a very short window of the year. 

It's mostly transported here by ship from China, so unnecessary. Especially when fracking of the earth is happening in order for us to have more ‘stuff’.

So I believe we can say no to some of it, and still have all the fun! 

So I thought I’d share a few ways to choose a more eco-friendly Halloween this year:

Sustainably Conscious Halloween Decorations

If you want to buy stuff, go for it - but try and choose something you really love, that you’ll use year after year. Don’t just buy because it’s cheap and cheerful, as it'll end up in the bin afterwards. 
They really don't need a plastic bucket with a halloween design on it for trick or treating - instead, use a receptacle you have at home (my kids like to take a pillow case, as it has the largest capacity - lol)

Or, make your own decorations - no pressure here, I know you're busy! But if you feel that way inclined, I’ve put together a Pinterest board with ideas that I thought were fun and easy.

Pumpkin Carving Waste

Be mindful of pumpkins too. It’s estimated that around 14.5 million pumpkins go to waste after Halloween each year in the UK. This means that out of the 17 million pumpkins bought for Halloween each year, only around 1 in 5 will be used for something else, with the rest going to waste.

Many people don’t realise that the carved-out insides of the pumpkin are edible. (I’ll be using this pumkpin soup recipe this year (it's Gluten Free and Vegan), especially created for the carvings from the pumpkin).

Eco Conscious Halloween Treats

For parties at home, make fun snacks from scratch. Kids and adults love a bit of imaginative food decorations, and there are loads of ideas over on Pinterest.

For trick-or-treaters, it’s trickier (pun intended), as unwrapped treats aren’t always an option. Satsumas are a delicious alternative, but you’ll risk being seen as ‘that parent’ (Personally, I’m not bothered by that). Otherwise, plastic-free treats are a good option.

I think I’ll try Tony Cholonely’s Tiny box  this year. It’s not a cheap option, but I’ll save on spending money elsewhere. Plus, they're a great company that I would prefer to support.

Otherwise, try choosing plastic-free treats, as paper and foil packaging are more easily recycled.

Reused, Recycled and Upcycled Halloween Costumes

Charity shops often have a great selection for all the family. Or use some old clothes (or sheets) to create a DIY costume. Swap with or borrow from friends or family. Get creative, but avoid buying new. We have a big bag of fancy dress gear, mainly sourced from charity shops, and we all dive in there regularly and reuse items. See the Pinterest board for some fun ideas too.

No Judgement here

Again, we're never here to judge, we all can't be perfect all the time, and judging each other is never the right motivation towards change. I just want to share some ideas and small ways we can all make improvements in our own lives.