Tips For A Sustainable Halloween

Although Halloween may look and feel a little different this year, the festive spirit is very much in the air. Whether trick-or-treating while maintaining social distance, attending virtual costume and pumpkin carving contests, or watching your favourite spooky movies on Optik, we have some eerie-sistible tips for a greener Halloween – and a few tricks and treats from sites we recommend that would help you avoid an untimely horror demise.

Costumes: Instead of buying a new costume, reusing, or recycling costumes from previous years, or even make your own from things you already have in the house.

Decorations: you can keep the ghastly waste of Halloween to a minimum by decorating with natural materials like pumpkins and paper.

Pumpkin carving: When you think of Halloween, you surely think of pumpkins. Lower your emissions by supporting your local community and purchasing locally grown pumpkins. You can then compost, save the seeds for roasting them or use the insides for delicious recipes.

Candy: Junk food is one of the many joys of Halloween for trick-or-treating. Look for candy with minimal packaging and/or those made packaged in recycled materials.

Trick-or-Treat Stroll: Gather with your friends and admire the scenery while the children walk the streets.  A neighborhood stroll is also sustainable as walking will reduce your carbon footprint. 

Here are some sites that share how we can make a positive impact for a more sustainable Halloween:

• WWF 10 Green Halloween Tips
• Harvard University 6 Tips for a greener Halloween
• InHabitat 10 sustainable Halloween decorations for your green home
• CBC News article on sustainable candy https://bit.ly/3jCHqvm 
• Meet Green https://meetgreen.com/2019/10/sustainable-tips-for-halloween

We’d love to hear some ways you’re making your Halloween sustainable this year.  To learn more, visit telus.com/sustainability.