Going green for Halloween this year is a lot easier than you may think. Probably a lot cheaper too. I realize it only takes a few quick clicks to have something new, cheap and complete sent to your home from Amazon, but it is also likely comprised of plastic and other toxic materials that will haunt our landfills for centuries to come!
With a little inspiration, some rummaging around your home and a quick trip to your local thrift store and farmers market, you can put together a spooktacular Halloween and feel very green and stainable while you do it!
1. Get thrifty at the thrift store.
You never know what treasures you’ll uncover at the local thrift store. It can also be a great place to spark your inspiration. I like to go with a loose idea of what I want in a costume and then let the pieces I find it guide me to the next level of detail.
Most thrift stores these days also carry ready to go Halloween costumes. Most are gently used, so you get all the satisfaction of recycling and have a ready to go outfit without breaking the bank.
Finally the great thing about thrift clothing is that you don’t have to feel any guilt about dismantling it and adjusting it.
2. Repurpose. Reuse. Recycle.
Harvest and re-purpose last year’s costume. Along the same vein of finding a costume at a thrift store, repurposing old costumes from years prior is another great way to be earth friendly and financially thrifty. Bedazzle or bloodstain that old shirt that’s been hanging in your closet untouched since the turn of the century.
Don’t have enough stuff in your own closet? This is a perfect excuse to throw a pre-Halloween costume making bash at your house tell your friends to bring over all their old costumes and random dress up clothes and supplies and then mix and match to put together the perfect outfits for this year’s spooky Halloween celebration.
I’m going this route myself. Beginning with an old purple slip dress I found years ago at a thrift store. I have fabric-glued a panel of shiny silver down the front to transform it into a shiny purple alien outfit. The excess silver fabric paired perfectly with some purple tulle I had on hand to create the perfect intergalactic cape. All that’s left to do on Saturday is add some cosmic makeup and TONS of glitter.
3. Up Your Costume Game by Upcycling
Let thy trash become thy inspiration! We all have plenty of it – trash and recycled goods, junk mail, old newspapers. Fashion designers have taken eco-fashion and upcycling to new heights, transforming plastic bottles and trash bags into runway sensations. You can do the same with your costume, and its FREE! Here are few ideas to get you started. I highly recommend hitting Pinterest for further inspiration.
4. Make Up and Gore, the Natural Way
Fake blood and face paint can be loaded with toxins that are just as bad for the earth as they are for our bodies. Brew up your own fake blood and guts with items you probably have stowed away in your pantry. My husband soaked a white t-shirt in black tea overnight, then tossed it in the drier and he has the perfect base shirt for a space pirate whose been through many intergalactic adventures. Here are a few recipes to choose from courtesy of LiveAbout blogger Rain Blanken. (And don’t forget about ketchup and red wine!)
Looking for some eco-friendly makeup? Refinery 29 comprised a list of green items to complete all your green Halloween looks. And you can get some of them on Amazon!
5. Decorate Without all the Waste
Opt for using natural items found around you, like picking up fall leaves off the ground as you’re walking. Very easy to make pretty much free all natural. You could also head to your local farmers market tour the end of the day and see if they have any scraps or excess old pumpkins or gourds that they don’t want anymore.
This is another ideal opportunity to utilize those old bedsheets, socks with holes in the toes, old scrappy T-shirts; all the things that are already trashed and ready to be thrown away.
And don’t forget to hit the recycle bin and old lawn furniture to complete your haunted yard decor.
6. Green Treats
We all know trick-or-treating is a huge part of the Halloween tradition. Unfortunately, that means a lot of mini sized sweets, each wrapped in a piece of wasteful plastic. Nowadays, homemade treats aren’t an option to offer to the ghosts and goblins at your door, but you can opt for choosing candies wrapped in cardboard vs plastic, like Nerds and Dotts.
If you are hosting a party or a scary movie fest, then homemade treats are an option! The internet is teeming with recipes, and here are few that caught my eye.
Halloween Punch Recipe with a Floating Brain: (Can be alcoholic or non)
Spooky Black Bean Hummus (Vegan)
Gluten-Free Vegan Monster Krispie Treats
7. Arrive in Eco-Style
Heading out for Halloween? Take the bus, train, taxi, ride a bike or walk. It’s so much better for the environment and you don’t have to worry about consuming spooky adult beverages and getting behind the wheel.
If meeting up to trick-or-treat with your group, carpool and select walkable neighborhoods so you can spend your time collecting goodies, not parking.
I hope you found these tips helpful and are eager to make this Halloween a little more green so we can continue to enjoy this tradition for generations to come.
Namaste,
Aliengyrl
aliengyrl 