Halloween is not the most environmentally friendly holiday with millions of candy wrappers entering the landfill in just a few short hours. But, there are ways to limit your waste and maintain an eco-conscious mindset while still enjoying the fun festivities.
Candy is the most obvious treat to pass out at Halloween for kids, but there are other more sustainable options that might even be more exciting and inclusive! Candy can be repetitive, and surprising kids with something different, like Halloween themed pencils and erasers, organic sweets, or bracelets. Some candy companies even sell their cult favorites in box form—Junior Mints offers this plastic-free packaging.
Depending on your area, it might be possible to collect all of your used candy wrappers and recycle them after the Halloween festivities. Terracycle is an example of an organization that has recycling programs for unusual products that are normally not recyclable through traditional city waste management. Though they don’t have a candy wrapper program currently, you might be able to find a similar resource in your country, city, neighborhood, etc.
Conventionally-grown pumpkins often include chemicals that harm wildlife and pollute groundwater. Support local farmers and avoid these environmentally-damaging chemicals by buying local.
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