It has become a tradition for children and adults to dress up as their favorite character from a TV show or movie and go door-to-door trick or treating on October 31st. Halloween was first celebrated in the United States in the early 1800s, when Irish immigrants would wear masks or disguises to ward off evil spirits. Today, people all over the world celebrate Halloween by celebrating their cultures -- with parties full of food, fun games, music and more!
Photo by Karsten Winegeart from Unsplash
Halloween is one of the most popular celebrations around the world, especially in the US, but many people are considering ways to have a more sustainable celebration. Instead of throwing away all those pumpkins, there are plenty of ways to use them up! With that in mind, here are three tips for a greener Halloween.
Decor
Most Halloween decorations are made of cheap, disposable plastic. If that does not sound bad yet, it also gets thrown out as soon as the holiday is gone.
Crafty people: Now is the time to shine! Set up a table with your kids and let them make some fantastic, reusable, and high-quality decorations that are made up of sustainable materials. There are plenty of great DIY Halloween decorations out there, including reusable garlands, bunting, mason jars, chicken wire, and homemade Halloween posters, that are eco-friendly.
Make this a habit to create a new greener holiday tradition, and you won't even realize you're helping the environment!
Pumpkins
There is no doubt that the pumpkin is the most iconic symbol for this spooky celebration. There are many varieties of these brightly colored squashes, including Baby Bears, Aspens, White Luminas and Jack-o'-Lanterns.
Photo by Marius Ciocirlan from Unsplash
Pumpkins are all the rage when the Halloween season falls but people are quick to forget that with supply and demand comes dangerous effects on the environment.
Costumes
Photo by Conner Baker from Unsplash
Each year, millions of poor-quality, fast-fashion costumes are mass-produced during Halloween, resulting in the biggest carbon footprint.
What is the most sustainable Halloween costume? The one you already have! Look through your closet, ask friends and family to borrow costumes, or just reuse and update the same costume each year: it's both better for the environment and cheaper.
The costumes provided by costume shops are of higher quality than those offered by fast fashion companies. A thrift store or vintage boutique are also great places to look for pieces or fabrics that can be repurposed into a homemade costume for Halloween.
If you are looking for a particular costume but do not want to buy it, you may consider renting. IM Brent is an online platform that lets you rent whatever you want, whenever you need it!
To find the perfect costume, you can browse through their clothes categories. If you already have a costume in mind, you can post a request, to ask for the clothes and accessories that you need.
Excited to find your perfect Halloween costume? Browse now at IM Brent!