Did you know that, according to RecycleNation, about 12,500 tons of Halloween costumes end up in US landfills every year? People often let sustainability slip from their minds during holidays but these are some of the most important times to think about your environmental impact. By doing so you will not only be helping the environment but also probably save some money and have unique costumes and decorations that will be the envy of your friends and neighbors. Get creative and add some green to the black and orange of Halloween. (Source: RecycleNation)
1.) Get Crafty with Your Costume: Instead of purchasing a new costume, take inventory of clothing and accessory items you have at home and DIY. Ask around to see if anyone has costumes from previous years you could use or swap for, or take a trip to your local thrift store. Think ahead to next year and see if you can swap costumes with someone after this Halloween while costumes are still readily available.
2.) Decorate and Dispose Properly: Use natural products like pumpkins and gourds as well as items you would normally recycle for decoration. Save decoration items to use again in future years. When Halloween is over, compost your pumpkins and, as always, properly dispose of all waste from the festivities. Not sure what goes where, download the Eagle County Waste Wizard app for free or utilize the Wizard’s online search engine at https://www.walkingmountains.org/recycling-waste-reduction/.
3.) Healthy Treats: Look for organic, fair trade, or natural candies. Consider healthier alternatives that kids will still enjoy like plain or covered nuts, dried fruit, and granola bars. You can even opt for other items like juice boxes, school supplies, or coins. Whatever you decide, choose items with minimal packaging. If you would like to re-purpose your or your child's extra Halloween candy, take it to a designated Treats For Troops drop off center between November 1 and November 12 at one of the following locations: Vail Public Library, Vail Municipal Building, Vail Mountain School, or either Welcome Center in the Vail Village and Lionshead parking structures.