Ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and garbage!
Yes – you heard us right. Garbage. Halloween is full of creative DIYs, decorations, candy, and festivities. But one thing gets commonly overlooked throughout this holiday: waste. It’s a tad bit spooky with how much humans waste and even spookier with great alternatives constantly overlooked. According to USA Today, Americans will spend an alarming record of over $10 million on Halloween, most of which is uneaten, trashed, or never used again.
One of the best parts of Halloween is shopping for a costume. It’s that time of year when you can be funny, scary, charming, or anything at all… and just let your imagination soar. The National Retail Federation found that over 175 million people in the USA celebrate Halloween, and 68% buy Halloween outfits. We can accurately assume that nearly most of us toss these in the trash once we’re through using them. So, it’s time to rethink Halloween costumes and decrease our heavy carbon footprints.
Make This Halloween Magical
There’s nothing wrong with buying a costume, but this year, let’s opt to give it to Goodwill, a thrift shop, or a person in need. If you want to reuse or repurpose a costume, look inside one of these vintage shops! You’ll be surprised to find just how much they have.
Shop your closet, too. You might have an old suit, prom dress, or retro bowling shirt that would be ideal! If you need help with a DIY project, head over to Pinterest online and find thousands of unique ideas.
Did you know you can rent a Halloween costume or outfit? Absolutely. There are great sites, such as Halloweencostumes.com or Costume.com where you rent exclusive Halloween costumes and return them.
Find cheap outfits someone once wore online! Head to Facebook Marketplace and search for Halloween costumes for anyone in your family. Odds are, they were only worn once or a few times and are still in pristine condition.
Looking Un-Boo-Lievable!
For Halloween makeup, try to find non-toxic makeup. Most generic Halloween makeup contains heavy metals such as lead, cobalt, chromic, and more. These are neither good for you nor the planet. Seek out natural face paints, organic makeups, or try using a cornstarch DIY! More companies are becoming forward-thinking and creating healthier cosmetics and packaging that you won’t feel guilty about using.
Wasting pumpkins is another frightening waste people participate in. So, what should we do with them after carving them? Instead of throwing it in the garbage, try to compost it! Remove the seeds and place them in a green bin. If you don’t have the time or energy to do so, check with local farms or community gardens that would love to have them! With the seeds you removed, they can make delicious snacks if you choose to season and bake them. If you aren’t a pumpkin fan, feed them to wildlife.
Pumpkin, Anyone?
Pumpkins are a great natural alternative to plastic decorations. They create beautiful fall looks without having to use non-recyclable plastics. Save money and cut waste by shopping for antique mirrors, raggedy dolls, glass bottles, and thrift stores! Create your own paper or cardboard decorations (such as cute bats or witches!) and recycle them afterward. Egg cartons, toilet paper rolls, and old boxes can all be used in a significant way.
Last but certainly not least, we should all be reconsidering Halloween candy and the waste it leaves. But what options are there – especially if we don’t want to take the fun out of this thrilling holiday? Start by providing candies with better and natural ingredients. Search for sustainable candy brands and work towards renewable energy and practices. This information is easily searchable online! These companies are creating more conscientious material for our environment.
This Halloween, let’s do better. At Jake’s Dumpsters, we strive to provide helpful information to our friends and clients, making our lives easier, happier, and healthier. One simple change can make an entire difference.
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