Are you looking for ways to cut out the plastic this Halloween? Or perhaps you want to make some more sustainable choices when it comes to costumes and decorations? Sharon Keilthy, founder of Jiminy Eco Toys, shares her top tips and easy ideas to have an eco-friendly, low waste Halloween.
Don’t miss our best content straight to your inbox! Sign up now and get our FREE newsletters packed with fun ideas and things to do with the kids, family-friendly recipes, expert advice, parenting tips and great competitions.
The benefits of a low waste Halloween are far-reaching. Not only is it better for the environment, but it’s also better for your budget, more creative and sets a great example for our children.
If I was to sum it up, I would say the three amazing powers of a low waste Halloween are:
- The Power to Protect Wild Spaces – Using, and wasting, less new “stuff” means we can leave more wild spaces wild.
- The Power to Reduce Climate Change – We can affect a meaningful share of global carbon emissions by wasting less food, and by avoiding plastic. That’s huge power for good in our hands!
- The Power to Set a Sustainable Normal for Your Kids – What our kids see now, they will do when they themselves are grown-ups.
You May Also Enjoy 20 Budget-Friendly Tips and Ideas for a Green Halloween
Practical Tips for How to Have a Low Waste Halloween
1. Eat Your Pumpkin
We won’t carve ours – we’ll draw or stick the face on, then after Halloween plant the seeds (check the GIY how-to), and roast the rest.
If you do carve your pumpkin, make sure to roast the pumpkin seeds for an easy and yummy snack, add the “guts” (pulp) to soup, and then put the jack-o-lantern in your food waste or compost bin when Halloween is over.
You May Also Enjoy 10 MORE Incredibly Easy Pumpkin Recipes to Make at Home
2. Opt for a Homemade or Pre-Loved Costume
If you’re looking for some costume-specific motivation to have a low-waste Halloween, just look at the stats. Pro-rating the annual UK figures for the island of Ireland, we throw away close to 700,000 Halloween costumes every year – that’s over 200 tonnes.
Of those:
- 83% are petroleum-based plastics like polyester, emitting so much CO2 in their making we’d have to plant 31,000 trees to absorb it.
- It is estimated that only 4% of textile waste gets recycled in Ireland – so that 200 tonnes of material goes to landfill or incineration.
…and this happens every year. We have to change this.
Brainstorming costume ideas with my daughter, we knock out any we can’t make ourselves. She thinks this is normal (and not long ago, it was!). And she’s always been thrilled with her costumes, including when she’s worn them into school.
One year she was Rey from Star Wars – a hairdo, a charity-shop scarf, my belt, and clothes she already had. Another year she went as a dead bodyboarder, using the wetsuit and bodyboard she already owned, plus face paint.
There are sure to be things in your recycling that can be repurposed for a costume – cardboard, paper, and so on. Combine this with clothes and accessories you already have and can reuse to create a great homemade costume.
If you want something you can’t make yourself, what about a pre-loved costume? Check with friends and family for hand-me-downs, local selling groups, charity shops, and zero waste groups.
You May Also Enjoy 12 Colourful and Creative Homemade Halloween Costumes
3. Watch Out for Hidden Toxins
Image: Jiminy.ie
If buying face paint, check for toxic ingredients, mainly parabens. Look for natural products where possible, like our Natural Earth face paint.
Similarly, most adult nail polishes are unsafe for kids thanks to chemicals like TPHP, which make them work better but affect hormones, puberty, weight, and brain development. Get a kid-safe one like Piggy Paint, Miss Nella or Nailmatic.
You May Also Enjoy 20+ Frighteningly Easy Ideas for Halloween Nails
4. Choose Eco-Friendly Decorations
Again, raid the recycling bin for supplies and transform them into something spooky to decorate the house!
If buying decorations, choose paper or cardboard, plants or vegetables like the seasonal pumpkin, rather than plastic.
5. Agree With Neighbours About Treats
Have a quick check-in with your neighbours – in person, or via a local Facebook or WhatsApp group – to avoid buying treats that go to waste. If everyone’s roughly on the same page for Halloween, it makes life a lot easier for everyone.
Questions to ask include:
- Will trick-or-treating be happening on your road this year, and roughly what time?
- How many treats should each house prepare? Can everyone agree on one item per child per door?
- Which treats are best avoided because they tend to go straight in the bin when kids get home? For example, unwrapped sweets, or anything that doesn’t suit common allergies?
You May Also Enjoy 15 Clever Ways to Celebrate Halloween With No Trick-or-Treating
Have your say! What are your tips for a low-waste Halloween? Leave a comment below and let us know – we’d love to hear from you!
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the easiest way to start having a lower waste Halloween?
Start small – pick one area, such as your pumpkin, your costume, or your treats, and make one swap this year. You don’t need to change everything at once to make a real difference.
Can I still carve my pumpkin and have a low waste Halloween?
Yes. Carving is fine – just make the most of the whole pumpkin afterwards. Roast the seeds, use the pulp in soup, and compost or bin the shell once Halloween is over rather than letting it go to waste in the garden.
Where can I find a pre-loved Halloween costume?
Ask friends and family for hand-me-downs, check local selling or swap groups, browse charity shops, or look for dedicated zero waste and costume-swap groups in your area.
Are all face paints and nail polishes safe for kids?
Not all of them. Some contain ingredients like parabens or TPHP that aren’t ideal for children. Look for products specifically marketed as natural or kid-safe, and check the ingredients list if you’re unsure.
Related Articles
- 20 Budget-Friendly Tips and Ideas for a Green Halloween
- 10 MORE Incredibly Easy Pumpkin Recipes to Make at Home
- 12 Colourful and Creative Homemade Halloween Costumes
- 20+ Frighteningly Easy Ideas for Halloween Nails
- 15 Clever Ways to Celebrate Halloween With No Trick-or-Treating
Fancy more ideas like these? Browse our full collection of Halloween activities and family ideas any time you need inspiration.
Don’t miss out on more family ideas like this! Sign up for our free newsletter for weekly activity ideas, recipes and parenting tips straight to your inbox.
