Five Super-Simple Steps to Green Trick-or-Treating
Getting your little ghosts and goblins ready for Halloween while attempting to minimize your impact might seem scarier than global warming, but it’s so simple: you’re probably already doing at least one of these things.
- Use reusable candy-collecting bags. Simple, easy, and ensures that your large stash of candy won’t end up all over the street from a less-than-durable plastic bag. Avoid those plastic pumpkins, too. They’re made of petroleum, and you can only use them once a year.
- Handing out treats for trick-or-treaters? They’ll get enough conventional candy from your other neighbors. Try healthier alternatives (for both kids and the planet) like honey sticks, fruit leather, granola bars, organic chocolate, or boxes of raisins. Avoid food altogether and give pencils, erasers, mini toothpastes, soy crayons, or stickers.
- Don’t drive your kids around. I’m amazed at how many kids’ parents (even in Missouri’s mild October weather) drive them around the neighborhood. Part of the fun of trick or treating when I was young was the thrill of walking around the neighborhood at night. Save the gas and get your fill of the night air.
- DIY your costumes. Avoid the plastic and vinyl monstrosities at the discount store and create your own from things at your house or secondhand stores. Your costumes will cost less, look better, and your kid won’t be one of seventeen Dora the Explorers or Thomas the Tank Engines you run into.
- Use trick-or-treating as an opportunity for stewardship. After trick or treating, bring a separate bag for your kids to pick up the inevitable candy wrappers left by less-savvy munchkins.
October 9th, 2007 at 2:12 pm
A green Halloween! I love it!
October 9th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
Hey nice. Specially the picture of white goblin.
October 9th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
Great tips. I’ve always been a fan of the pillowcase for carrying Halloween candy.
October 10th, 2007 at 5:22 am
It quite amazing how many parents drive their kids around. I can understand if it was raining, but otherwise this is a great time for motivated kids to do some exercise.
October 10th, 2007 at 7:02 am
“Try healthier alternatives (for both kids and the planet) like honey sticks, fruit leather, granola bars, organic chocolate, or boxes of raisins. Avoid food altogether and give pencils, erasers, mini toothpastes, soy crayons, or stickers.”
I stopped reading here.
October 10th, 2007 at 7:17 am
The kids must love you. Soy crayons sure are tasty!
October 10th, 2007 at 7:20 am
you may want to rethink number 2, especially if you like Trick-or-Treaters coming to your door. After it gets out your not giving anything out thats good or interesting kids will start skipping your house.
Also if its not in a factory sealed package its going to likely get tossed.
Its for the kids why uselessly politic it up? isn’t there enough fear mongering that you can even give out candy or caramel apples?
October 10th, 2007 at 7:26 am
If you are this concerned with global warming that you would do the things mentioned in this article, follow my three step plan:
1. Sell everything you own.
2. Move to the closest possible apartment or house to your job.
3. Walk to work
October 10th, 2007 at 10:50 am
Here yet another great living green idea; Stop having children! Did you know people are the biggest producers of carbon? If stop procreating the human race we can reduce our carbon footprint by almost 100%!
October 10th, 2007 at 10:50 am
Here’s yet another great living green idea; Stop having children! Did you know people are the biggest producers of carbon? If we stop procreating the human race, we can reduce our carbon footprint by almost 100%!