Halloween is full of fun and spooky surprise but one of the scariest thing is the amount of waste we produce at Halloween. From single-use costumes and plastic decorations to edible pumpkins end up in the bin. So we came up with these Halloween waste busting ideas.
At Halloween it’s estimated that millions of Halloween items are discarded each year. The good news? A spooky celebration doesn’t have to cost the earth. Here are some simple ways to enjoy a more sustainable Halloween in Ealing.
The biggest carbon footprint from Halloween comes from the millions of poor-quality, fast fashion costumes that are mass-produced every year. See Good on you ultimate green Halloween.
Give costumes a second life
Many Halloween costumes are only worn once before being thrown away. 4 in 10 Halloween costumes are only worn once. Instead of buying new, why not:
- rewear a costume from previous years
- swap with friends and neighbours
- pop along to ReActon Halloween costumes rail on Friday 30 October
- shop second-hand
- get creative with clothes and accessories you already own
If you have costumes your family no longer needs, don’t throw them away. Drop off costumes at ReActon for others to enjoy next year. By keeping costumes in use for longer, we can save money, reduce waste and help more families celebrate Halloween sustainably.
Get crafty and make your own costume
Some of the best costumes are homemade, so lets get Halloween waste busting. Old clothes, cardboard boxes, fabric scraps and face paint can be transformed into spooky creations.
DIY costumes are often cheaper, more unique and create far less waste than fast-fashion alternatives.
Bring an old one back from the dead, buy second hand, or get creative with things you already have, face paint and cutting accessories out of cardboard. Hubbub has some great tips on costumes Sew Spooky.
Make the most of your pumpkin
Many pumpkins go to waste at Halloween.
Before carving:
- Use pumpkin flesh in soups, curries, cakes or pasta dishes
- Roast the seeds for a healthy snack
- Save seeds for planting next year
Scoop out and save the pumpkin insides, then carefully cut a creepy face. Or if you’re not ready to cut, then try using pens, paper and stickers to decorate from the outside.
Not keen on carving? Try decorating pumpkins with paint, pens, ribbons or reusable accessories instead.
For lighting up the pumpkin, use rechargeable lights and avoid single use glow sticks or candles. For the red glow on our pumpkin they used the red bike light for a spooky red glow.
Get the kids involved and make a Halloween feast! Find out some creative ways to use leftover pumpkins. Hubbub has some great advice on Eat your pumpkin
When Halloween is over, remember that pumpkins can be composted or added to a food waste recycling collection rather than thrown in the rubbish bin.
Decorate without the waste
Choose Halloween waste busting decorations that can be reused year after year instead of single-use plastic items. If you good quality Halloween decorations they can be reused year after year. Some of these creations come out every year and it’s lovely to rediscover them each year.
Ideas include:
- Homemade paper decorations
- Autumn leaves and branches collected on walks
- Reusable fabric bunting
- Lanterns and string lights
- Pumpkins, gourds and other natural decorations
Pinterest is a great source of ideas. Here’s one board to start with Eco-Friendly Halloween Ideas
A little creativity can make your home look wonderfully spooky without creating extra waste.
Naturally scary
Make use of natural items like straw, branches, leaves, pumpkins, and gourds to spice up your Halloween decor sustainably.
Skip the single-use glow sticks
Glow sticks are difficult to recycle and are usually thrown away after one evening. Instead, try:
- rechargeable LED lights
- battery-powered lanterns with rechargeable batteries
- solar-powered garden lights
- reusable bike lights to create colourful effects
Repair, reuse and share
Before buying something new for Halloween, ask yourself:
- Can I borrow it?
- Can I repair it?
- Can I reuse something I already own?
Small choices add up. By repairing, reusing, borrowing and sharing, we can reduce waste and help build a more circular economy in Ealing.