How to Celebrate Halloween Sustainably
Happy Halloween! It’s that spooky time of year again, but the real fright might not come from haunted houses or eerie costumes—it’s the environmental impact of all that holiday waste. From discarded pumpkins and single-use plastic costumes to mountains of candy wrappers, Halloween can be a surprisingly wasteful occasion. But fear not! There are plenty of ways to make your Halloween celebrations both fun and eco-friendly.
Pumpkins: Don’t Let Them Go to Waste
Don’t get me wrong - I love carving pumpkins as much as anyone. What I don’t love is the 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins that end up rotting in America’s landfills every year. According to The Guardian, 60% of pumpkins purchased to carve are not fully used, contributing to the staggering 63.1 million tons of food waste generated annually in the U.S.
So how can we reduce that waste? The answer is simple: use your whole pumpkin! The flesh can be turned into delicious fall treats like pumpkin bread, pie, or soup. You can also roast the seeds for a healthy snack. By using your entire pumpkin, you not only save food waste, but you get the most bang for your buck. Once Halloween is over, instead of throwing the rest of your pumpkin in the trash, compost it! When left in landfills, pumpkins decompose and produce methane, which has a much greater impact on global warming than carbon dioxide. Composting your pumpkin helps nourish the soil instead.
A tip: for your pumpkin to be compostable, avoid using non-biodegradable paints or glitter. Instead, look for eco-friendly alternatives, and always remove any candles or wax before composting.
Costumes & Decor: Secondhand Is Spooktacular
Before diving into eco-conscious costumes, let’s talk safety. The Center for Environmental Health has found harmful substances like lead, cadmium, and BPA in Halloween costumes from major retailers, including Halloween Express and Spirit Halloween. In fact, some items exceed California’s safety limits for these toxins. And fast-fashion brands like Shein, Temu, and certain Amazon sellers often come with their own set of risks, including hazardous chemicals like formaldehyde and phthalates.
To protect yourself and the planet, always choose safer, sustainable options. Start by thrifting your costume! Your local thrift shop likely has plenty of costumes and decor options, or you can get creative by crafting a costume from clothes you already own. You can also DIY your decorations with recycled materials like cardboard, bottles, and cans. And don’t forget to save your costumes and decor for next year! If you’re set on parting ways with a costume, consider recycling it with a Take Back Bag to keep it out of the landfill.
Candy: Sweet and Sustainable Treats
While the dream would be package-free candy, that’s not exactly practical or hygienic for trick-or-treating. The next best thing? Look for candy that comes in biodegradable, compostable, or paper-based packaging.
If plastic wrappers are unavoidable, consider using a TerraCycle Candy and Snack Wrapper Zero Waste Pouch. It’s a simple, effective way to recycle those pesky plastic wrappers. Just toss the wrappers in the pouch, and TerraCycle will handle the rest. It’s compact enough to take with you for sustainable trick-or-treating, ensuring no wrapper ends up in the landfill.