9 Tips for a More Sustainable Halloween
9 Tips for a More Sustainable Halloween
Around 83% of Halloween costumes contain plastic materials¹ like polyester — and that doesn’t even include wigs, plastic candy buckets, seasonal decor, or all those shiny candy wrappers. Those plastic items, often discarded after October, then turn into microplastics: tiny plastic particles that’ve been found in the bottom of the ocean, at the top of Mount Everest, and even in human bodies².
And while Halloween celebrates all things spooky, it doesn’t have to be scary for the environment — or your health.
Here are 9 easy tips and tricks to make Halloween more sustainable.
1. Get creative with crafts
Grab your glue gun and the bottles of craft paint in your junk drawer. You’ll be surprised how many costumes you can DIY.
A few kids’ Halloween costume ideas to get you started:
Craft a Captain America shield out of a paper plate and paint.
Cut out fairy wings from cardboard, paint, and attach string to hold ‘em in place
Cut animal ears (or alien antennas!) out of cardboard and attach to a headband, then dress your little one in matching colored clothes
2. Thrift your costume
Hit your local thrift shop or try sites like Facebook Marketplace or Poshmark to find pre-loved costumes or the elements you’ll need to DIY one.
Pro Tip: Have a few friends nearby? Try hosting a costume swap! Bring old costumes together and trade entire outfits, or just single items, to make new costumes.
3. Choose natural face paint
Halloween makeup often contains parabens and phthalates³ — a type of plastic. Instead of reaching for the palette of waxy face paint, look for makeup products that use plant-derived ingredients to create pigment. Better for your face, better for the earth.
4. Choose candy in cardboard boxes
When shopping for Halloween candy this year, nix the hard-to-recycle plastic candy wrappers and look for mini treats that come in recyclable cardboard boxes.
These candies are easy to find in mini cardboard boxes around Halloween-time:
Skittles
Nerds
Dots
Junior Mints
Whoppers
5. Don’t buy the plastic treat bucket
Decades ago, pillowcases were the go-to candy-carrier — and for good reason. Those orange plastic buckets are rarely reused. Prefer something with an easy handle?
Reuse a plastic or canvas shopping bag
DIY a treat bag from materials around the house.
Use a compostable paper bag
6. DIY decorations
DIYing your Halloween decorations is a great way to prevent extra waste and give kids an extra Halloween activity!
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Tissue paper ghosts
Jack-o-lantern carving or pumpkin painting
Use old jars to make a spooky “potions” display
Garlands made from paper cutouts
Use hole-punched leaves as confetti
7. Get pumpkins from local farmers
If you can, buy locally-grown pumpkins. This helps lower your carbon footprint (no need to ship anything to a store) and you can compost your pumpkins after use to prevent any unnecessary waste from ending up in the landfills.
8. Choose low-waste party supplies
Hosting a Halloween bash? Skip plastic-coated “paper” plates and shop options made from bamboo or other certified compostable materials. Just be sure to make your recycling and compost bins available to your guests.
9. Trick or treat in your own neighborhood
Staying local for trick or treating doesn’t just lower carbon emissions — it makes it easier for your community to come together and make sustainable choices overall. When you know your neighbors, it’s always easier to swap plastic-free treat ideas, avoid overbuying candy, and keep each other safe from allergens.
