Halloween is a fun time for kids of all ages (even kids at heart) to practice Sustainability in Action! Whether you host a party or go trick-or-treating around your neighborhood, there are plenty of ways to reduce your spooktacular waste during the Halloween season!
Tips to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle at Halloween
Reuse décor from previous years instead of buying new. Gather supplies for arts and crafts throughout the year for DIY décor to make things like worms made of foam peanuts or tombstones made from old cardboard boxes.
Get creative and make your own! Keep old clothes that can be used as parts of costumes and let your imagination run wild. You can also thrift instead of buying retail.
When hosting a party, avoid using single-use plastics like cups, plates and cutlery. Use regular dishes or buy biodegradable options and use markers to identify cups to keep consumption down.
Candy wrappers are not recyclable so consider looking for treats with minimal packaging or those packaged in more sustainable materials.
Trick-or-Treat bags. Rather than buying a new bag each year, use and decorate household items to collect candy. A bucket, a pillowcase, or even reusable bags can do the trick – and can be reused after the holiday.
Jack-o-Lanterns. Save the goodies from inside your pumpkin. Toast the seeds for a healthy and tasty treat. Make pumpkin pie or muffins with the fruit – or compost it.
To unmask your Halloween recyclables, visit the Republic Services Resource Center.