Green Ideas: Top Ten Ways to Green Your Halloween

Has anyone noticed how Halloween seems to have gotten bigger and bigger lately? There are entire stores dedicated to Halloween decorations. You can consume less and still have a happy Halloween! Here's how...

• Use nature to decorate- no need to go all out buying store-made skeletons, etc.

• Hand out recycled pencils or organic lollipops rather than the standard candy.

• Reverse trick-or-treat by handing back fair-trade chocolates.

• Reuse things around the house to create a costume.

• Use beeswax or soy candles to light up your pumpkins.

The rest of the top ten, more fun ideas, and links to resources from The Daily Green.

Image via Good Housekeeping.

Comments (6)

Speaking of enviromentally friendly candles - does anyone know of a resource for buying any in bulk? Such as tea light or tad bigger sizes.

posted by indiefolklore on October 6th 2009 at 4:13pm
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I am absolutely not a fan of 'reverse trick or treating'. There is a time and a place for everything, and lecturing someone (however politely) on the candy they just gave you (after you asked for it, no less!) is just rude.

I'd hate to think of the elderly people in our neighborhood spending money on chocolate for the kids simply to make them happy just to be told that they are participating in abuse of kids worldwide.

posted by ksg on October 6th 2009 at 8:34pm
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ksg- this was a new idea for me- but i think you're right about that!

posted by julia on October 7th 2009 at 9:21am
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I'm all for "greening" Halloween and I am a fan of Fair Trade... BUT I am REALLY not a fan of the reverse trick or treating. It strikes me as very rude to have my child lecture a treat-giver on the why the treat they just received was not good enough (in case it was not Fair Trade). If I were the treat-giver, I would question why I even bothered to participate in this tradition.

posted by MJLO on October 7th 2009 at 9:39am
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I agree about the reverse trick-or-treating. Also, recycled pencils? That is just sad.

posted by Jackson on October 7th 2009 at 10:53am
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My favorite way is to not use pumpkins solely as decorations, but to choose varieties that are good to eat, too. Even big jack-o-lantern pumpkins are good when grated into bread. We wait until just before trick-or-treating to carve, then I bring them back in a few hours later, wash, and chop. Uncarved pumpkins last much longer, of course. Green and yummy!

Here are a few of my favorite recipes-
http://www.learningvicariously.com/?p=86

posted by learningvicariously on October 7th 2009 at 11:38am
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