Spooky Season: Zero Waste Guide

By Brianna Linn

The fall season brings festive activities such as pumpkin picking, haunted houses, and trick-or-treating. While this spooky season delights many, it also contributes significantly to landfill waste. Here are some creative ways to enjoy this time of year while minimizing waste:

Spooky zero waste décor

To add a touch of fall to home décor, consider finding or DIYing decorations. Many natural materials are readily available and can spruce up any space without costing money!

• Gather a bundle of thin sticks to create a witch's broom.
• Pick the prettiest leaves in the neighborhood to make table centerpieces. 
• Create garlands of fall foliage for doorways, windows or porches.
• Use old clothes stuffed with leaves and twigs to create a scarecrow.
• Don’t forget the classics! Gather pumpkins and gourds and turn them into jack-o'-lanterns. When the season for your jack-o'-lantern has passed, place them in a green composting cart. Be sure to remove any decorations, such as paint, stickers or glitter.

Cook and bake from scratch

This season presents an excellent opportunity to dive into the joys of cooking and baking from scratch. Homemade dishes typically use ingredients that come in bulk or larger packages instead of single-use items. This approach reduces the amount of plastic, cardboard and other packaging that may otherwise end up in landfills. Furthermore, baking and cooking from scratch tend to be more cost-effective, as pre-made cookies and snacks usually carry a higher price tag due to their convenience.

While cooking and baking from scratch, consider using locally sourced ingredients to be more sustainable. They typically have a lower carbon footprint because they require fewer resources to transport.

Thrift your Halloween costume

Over a lifetime, Halloween enthusiasts can accumulate dozens of costumes, most of which are worn only once. This leads to significant landfill waste and negatively impacts the environment. Instead of buying new costumes each year, consider shopping at local thrift stores or creating a costume from items already in your closet. If you're missing an accessory, you can always ask to borrow items from friends or family!