October has arrived and we can already see the colors of Halloween appear ! 

Celebrating Halloween without compromising the planet ; is it possible?

This holiday generates a lot of waste. Take, for example, the appalling amount of candy packaging and pumpkins that will come to haunt landfills once the party is over…

Discover how to make Halloween a greener holiday, without altering its magical, mysterious and carnivalesque atmosphere.

1. Sweets, pastries, sweets or other confectionery

Treats sold for Halloween are usually in mini individual sizes made of plastic, paper and cardboard. A true overpackaging festival! To generate less waste, opt for larger formats, or buy in bulk. There are plenty of options for bulk treats in the neighborhood’s bulk stores.

2. Costumes

Instead of buying poor-quality costumes made in a faraway land, make your own with recycled materials such as clothes, fabric, carpets, etc.

In order to promote re-employment, you can also participate in Troc-costume, our Halloween costume exchange operation. From Monday to Thursday from October 16th to October 31st, a coat rack is left in front of the eco-district to freely drop off and / or choose a costume for your child.

Finally, at the end of the Halloween party, don’t throw away your costume; several options are available to you. You can keep it neatly for next year, donate it to a theater class, bring it to Troc-costume or to a second-hand store.

3. Trendy makeup

A Halloween costume is often not complete without some makeup!

Did you know, though, that you can do it yourself, by using products you already have at home?

Here is an easy recipe for fake blood.

Ingredients:

– Maple syrup or corn syrup

– Blue drink (like Gatorade)

– Red and green food coloring

Steps:

• Pour the syrup in a bowl and add a drop of green food coloring.
• Add red food coloring and some of the blue drink until you get the color of the blood.
• Have fun!

4. Decorations

When decorating, remember to recover last year’s decorations and get creative with recovered materials. Why not use an old cloth, towel or rag to make a ghost?

To create the most authentic decor, you can use and tweak what is already in your home or in nature.

Finally, at the end of the Halloween party, do not throw away your decorations; put them away for next year !

5. Choose your candles carefully

Choose to illuminate your decorations with beeswax or soy candles.

Most inexpensive candles sold for the occasion are paraffin-based candles. Paraffin is far less expensive than plant waxes, but not a sustainable option… Indeed, paraffin is a derivative of petroleum, extracted by a refining process.

6. Do not throw away your decorative pumpkins, cook them.

Pumpkins are rich in vitamins, minerals and low in calories, while their seeds are an excellent source of omegas, and there are thousands of recipes to inspire you.

To be featured in soups, pies, muffins or even risottos, pumpkins add a delicious fall vide to your plate. Why waste them?

To avoid having to compost your pumpkins, try to make your lanterns at the last minute. Otherwise, another good option is to not cut and empty the pumpkin to decorate it. On a whole pumpkin, stickers, buttons and designs can suffice!

What about you ? What are your tips for making Halloween a greener holiday ?