Here are our helpful tips for having an environmentally-friendly Halloween this year.
Small changes can go a long way.
As part of our Saving the planet one step at a time series, we have put together some nifty ideas to avoid waste this Halloween.
Have any more ideas? Leave them in the comments below.
1. Make your own costumes
Do you have an abundance of old clothes lurking in the back of your wardrobe? These can be turned into a costume with a few tweaks.
Try dyeing clothes a different colour or even grating the material to give them a distressed, creepy look.
Or you can visit charity shops and upcycle the clothing into a Halloween costume.
These alternatives are a way to avoid fast fashion and prevent surplus clothing ending up in landfill. It’s also a fun opportunity to get more creative with your costumes.
Don’t think you’re creative enough? Swapping old costumes with a friend is another way to be more eco-friendly this Halloween.
Plastic masks, outfits and single-use face paint trays are all options to avoid if you’re looking to have a sustainable Halloween.
2. Ditch the sweetie wrappers
Instead of handing out treats covered in non-recyclable plastic, try this trick.
Go for the eco-friendly option of getting your sweets at a refill shop like Love Your Planet in Broughty Ferry.
Bring and fill your own containers to go the extra mile towards an eco-friendly Halloween.
3. Polish off your pumpkin
Over a million pumpkins are thrown away each year in the UK.
Instead of throwing yours out, why not cook your pumpkin this year? It’s another great way to avoid waste – it’s tasty too.
Here are a few of our recipe ideas:
Getting locally sourced pumpkins is another great way to reduce your carbon footprint.
You can go pumpkin picking at Cairnie Fruit Farm in Fife, as well as many other local spots.
4. Say boo to plastic cups
An estimated 200 million single-use disposable cups are used each year in Scotland.
They contribute to 4,000 tonnes of waste per year.
If you’re going to a Halloween party this month, avoid using single-use plastic cups or straws so that you don’t contribute to this number.
Try eco-friendly alternatives like simply using the host’s glassware instead. And if you can’t cope without a straw, bring reusable bamboo or glass straws along with you.
5. Make your own decorations
Single-use plastic banners for Halloween are among the massive amount of waste created by the holiday every year.
Instead of going out and buying these, make your own decorations.
Did you know fruit can be made into a decoration?
Just cut thin slices of oranges or apples and bake them in the oven. Hang them on a string or add them to a wreath and they will be an eco-friendly, sweet-smelling alternative to plastic Halloween banners.
There are loads of events to get your fangs into this Halloween.
Have a spooktacular week.
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