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Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Happy Halloween a Time to Be Green

Halloween can be a scary time of year for the green-minded. Last week was waste reduction week. This week the days leading up to Oct. 31st can be a minefield of candy wrappers and other waste items. It makes things difficult for anyone trying to celebrate Halloween in a more environmentally friendly manner. Here are some ideas for celebrating Halloween that may be better for the environment.

If you think of all the waste involved with Halloween between the candy packaging and the costumes that are only worn once for a couple of hours of fun, and the money involved in purchasing these items, the whole idea of Halloween becomes very scary indeed.

One suggestion regarding your Halloween decorations - try to decorate your home with locally grown pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn or attractively colored, natural fall leaves; they're more attractive than most of the plastic and paper decorations. However, if you go for the plastic decoration you can reuse them next year.

For party food, think pumpkin pie, sweets made with local apples, and other dishes that emphasize ingredients of the season where you live. The farmers’ market in Amherst should be able to supply all of these local food and decorating ideas.
Cloth or canvas shopping bags, or even pillowcases, make terrific eco-friendly alternatives to paper or plastic bags. Reusable bags are not only better for the environment at Halloween, they’re also better for kids. Paper and plastic bags can tear easily, spilling your Halloween treats. Reusable bags are much more durable.
Choose treats that use very little packaging, which is produced using fossil fuels and cannot be recycled. Whenever possible, buy locally produced treats from local merchants. Buying locally supports your local economy, and also reduces fuel consumption and pollution associated with transporting products.

If you prefer not to give out candy of any kind, you do have other options. Some people choose to hand out coins, pencils, stickers, little gadgets, stamps, small colouring books, small boxes of crayons, erasers in fun shapes, or other inexpensive items you can find at your local dime store or dollar store. Check these items first and make sure they do not present a choking hazard.

Have fun and be careful. Please compost your pumpkins and try to add some green to your orange and black Halloween celebrations. 

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