Autumn is packed with the feel good festivities. While Thanksgiving is around the corner, most people would agree spooky season gets its fair share of love. Whether you love Halloween for the horror and gore, the drama and extravagance in dressing up, or the decadent sweets from trick-or-treating, there is a lot of awesome ways to get in the Halloween spirit. 

This year, try making your Halloween spirit more sustainable.

Curb Food Waste:

According to an investigation by environmental charity Hubbub, 40% of consumers purchase pumpkins to carve for Halloween, and 60% of that number admit they dispose of the inner flesh. 80% of those surveyed said they don’t consider the primary purpose of pumpkins’ to be a food item, so while the inner flesh is being wasted, an additional 8 million pumpkins are estimated to end up in landfills. 

Do you need to stop carving intricate jack-o-lanterns? No! Here’s some ways to make the most of your pumpkins:

• Pumpkin facial based on skin types: Here are some recipes!
• Pumpkin Hair Mask: DIY Hair Treatments to get the most out of the pumpkin filling. 

If you are a fan of anything pumpkin spice, or even like to try new flavors, here are some recipes you can test out. If you do decide to cook some Thai Pumpkin Curry, Pumpkin Mulled Wine, or even the Pumpkin Cupcakes, I’ll be expecting a taste-testing invitation. 

You can also learn how to roast pumpkin seeds for a good snack! 

Reduce Textile Waste:

There is no denying you look good in your costume. But buying a new costume only to have it stored in the back of your closet, or worse, completely disposed of isn’t very eco-friendly. In order to avoid this, try DIY-ing your outfit.

 Most “animal” costumes are nothing more than colored trousers, some drawn-on ears, and the occasional fur– some of which may already be apart of your wardrobe! Plus, imagine how unique your costume cat could be by adding your own flair.

Thrifting is also a great way of not only cutting down on spending, but aiding in reducing on the sheer amounts of clothing never worn after the holiday. A lot of thrift stores will put out a decent collection, so check them out! 

Limit Candy Waste: 

Think you’re a candy fiend? Don’t worry, you’re not the only one. Halloween accounts for more than 10% of annual candy sale, which by far exceeds any other holiday. That’s over 2 billion dollars! Most candy wrappers are not recyclable, so what are you to do?

• Make homemade sweets to share with friends and family! The sugar rush will still be there and your homemade treats are sure to please more than the store-bought varieties.
• Foil wrapped candies, like the popular gold coin chocolate, are often more recyclable and can easily substitute other chocolate goodies. 
• Boxed candy, while not perfect, are a little better in terms of recycling, so this could be an alternative to seek out companies that may offer this option. 
• Coins! Yes, you can give out pennies, nickels, and other coins. Trick-or-treaters can donate collected change to a charity of their choice!