Don’t be afraid of an eco-friendly Halloween

Between all the new costumes bought, pumpkin insides tossed away and plastic trick-or-treat bags discarded after one use, Halloween can be a scary time for the environment. But fear not, HellaWella readers! Your raging ecoist will show you how to have an eco-friendly Halloween.

Whether you are 4 (and if you are, we think you may be a bit young for HellaWella) or 40, costumes are a quintessential part of Halloween fun. And while most adult female ensembles are pretty flimsy when it comes to materials, it’s still a better (and often cheaper) bet to get a little creative and make your own. The Daily Green offers some inspiration here.

If you are really crazy about the Earth, why not take an idea from DoSomething.org’s list of environment-inspired Halloween costume ideas. Al Gore, anyone?

When Halloween comes to an end, be sure to recycle what you can of your costume or consider donating it to Good Will or the Salvation Army. You never know who’s in the market for a naughty firewoman outfit these days.

We’re guessing that you are too old for trick-or-treating, but if you have kids — or simply like going door-to-door asking for candy; we won’t judge — and plan on hitting the neighbors up for treats, consider using reusable candy bags, as GreenAnswers suggests. And if you are doling out the treats, GreenAnswers suggests going with the organic variety because we all know some of the ingredients in typical store candy can be downright scary! Pick some up here.

If you are hosting a Halloween party, keep things eco-friendly with electronic invitations. (Check some of these cool designs out at Paperless Post.) and instead of buying a bunch of cheaply made decorations, get creative and make your own with help from Best Green Home Tips. Take it a step further and ditch the disposable tableware for some thrift-store china and silverware, perfect for an old-fashioned murder mystery party. And don’t forget about those pumpkins! Turn those pumpkin insides into a delicious soup (here’s one courtesy of Nurse Allison).

Going to be in New York City for Halloween? Check out the green events on Sunday, Oct. 30 at the World Financial Center.  Family-friendly events include costume making with recycled common materials, fun games with winners receiving fair trade and organic treats as prizes, and the chance to exchange gently-used costumes from last year.  Click here to learn more.

Got some creative ways to go green for Halloween? Share them below.

Tags: eco-friendly, environment, Green, Halloween, organic, recycle, reusable

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