Many Halloween items are single-use, synthetic and cheaply made, and this can send chills down the spines of any eco-friendly family. But there are some quick hacks that can help you avoid the creepy waste and ghoulish additives often conjured for this holiday. Fake blood, for example, doesn’t have to be a scary store-bought affair. You can make it yourself by mixing corn syrup, a bit of liquid castile soap and some natural food dye.
Here are some more eco-friendly Halloween tips.
Costumes
Many plastic store-bought costumes contain polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which can leach toxic additives with use. Phthalates are added to PVC products to make them flexible and soft, but research shows that exposure to phthalates over time may adversely affect reproduction and development. If you purchase a Halloween costume from a store, ensure it says “PVC free” on the label.
As an alternative to buying new, you could host or attend a costume swap. Guests can bring their used Halloween costumes and trade them for another gently loved outfit. Halloween costumes are usually worn only a few times (if that), and swapping them with friends or neighbors is a clever way for everyone to keep costs down and to reuse old goods.
Makeup
Face makeup can be half the fun of a Halloween costume, but be careful with what you put on your child’s face. In a 2009 study by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, all of the face paints tested contained lead and other heavy metals, including cobalt, nickel and chromium. Exposure to lead can cause a multitude of mental and physical health issues, while the others are known irritants that may cause lifelong skin problems.
If you decide to purchase face paint, try toxin-free mineral makeup. Look for certified organic ingredients and products that are free of artificial dyes.
Do-it-yourself Halloween makeup is another option. By combining equal parts cornstarch and natural skin lotion, you can create face makeup that can be dyed with foods found around the house, such as coffee grounds or fruit juice.
Decorations
It’s always exciting to be the scariest house on the block at Halloween with a host of fun decorations. Instead of using plastic decor, try using natural materials like straw bales, gourds, branches, dry leaves and flowers.
If you’re making jack-o’-lanterns, reserve the pumpkin seeds when carving so that you can toast them later for a tasty and seasonal treat. You can use the insides for pie or compost them.
Treats
Instead of offering individually wrapped, sugar-filled treats to kids who knock on your door, try handing out items like
- fair trade, organic chocolate
- honey sticks
- organic gummy treats
- organic jelly beans
- organic raisins or dried cranberries
- small, eco-friendly toys
Add some green to that orange and black, and have a happy, eco-friendly Halloween!