Make your Halloween green this year by taking action with your family to reduce your carbon footprint. Here are a few ideas you and your family can try:

Pumpkins – more than just a jack-o-lantern:

• When carving your pumpkin, keep the seeds to bake for a healthy snack.
• After Halloween, donate your jack-o-lantern to a farm that can use it to feed its animals – the pumpkin is a good source of vitamins for them. Another option is to place the pumpkin in your garden where it can decompose and provide nutrients for your plants next spring.
• If you use an LED tea light instead of a candle, the pumpkin can still be safely cooked and eaten; jack-o-lanterns aren’t as sweet as the smaller pie pumpkins, but in most recipes, no one can tell the difference.

Costumes – make them last!

• Don’t throw away last year’s costume! Instead, invite your friends to trade their costumes with you for a brand-new look.
• Have a one-of-a-kind costume! Make it yourself using old clothes or recycled items from around the house.

Monster mash – cut down on trash!

• Skip the paper plates at your Halloween party. Reduce waste by using reusable plates and cutlery instead.
• Avoid buying snacks with lots of extra packaging. Consider doing a “candy bar” with chocolates, jujubes, and other sweets that you can buy in bulk. Provide your guests with small paper bags to fill up. Also, note that chocolates wrapped in foil that scrunches up (and stays scrunched up) are recyclable.
• Use recycled items to make your own spooky party decorations.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!