Halloween is around the corner. Are you going to celebrate in style? It is an important holiday for us, as our first son was born on Halloween. Then a few years later our second son was born just a few days prior to Halloween. Their Grandma would make their costumes, and we would celebrate for two weeks in a row, with parties, pinatas, pumpkin carving, and trick-or-treats. It’s the sweetest memory every year. Did you know it’s the second most celebrated commercial holiday after Christmas in America? Last year, America spent $8 billion on Halloween, this year it’s predicted to be about $9 billion.

Americans spend $2.6 billion in candies, $2.7 billion in Halloween decors, and a whopping $3.2 billion on costumes. Americans enjoy the fun, regardless of the spending. All these purchases of products meaning more waste adding to Earth, and we are the ones who will get the aftereffects of the plastic landfills. We, the outdoor geeks want to keep enjoying our beautiful mother Earth. This holiday, it’s so important to celebrate in an eco-conscientious way, below are some green ideas to celebrate Halloween this year.

1. Use Reusable Eco-Friendly Bags
Ditch the plastically molded jack-o-lanterns this year, just remind yourself the poor marine lives suffocating in plastics. There is never going to be enough vessels to clean up the ocean if we keep adding on the pollution. Make your own eco-friendly canvas bag this year, why not try to use a pillowcase, more volume for the candies. My first-born son started using the pillowcase last year, that was quite a candy harvest for him. The birds, the fish, and the little marine animals will all thank you for thinking about them.

2. Use Recycled Costumes
You can rent your costumes, buy them used, exchange costumes with another friend, make your own, etc. One-time used costumes can take up space in your closet, and just think of how you can redirect the spending ($3.2 billion in total in America) on something else or consider donating it to an environmentally conscientious organization. Save planet Earth. We have enough costumes to open a rental shop as well, talking about guilt…

3. Pass out Environmentally friendly Candies
Make a statement of getting organic or environmentally friendly candies this year. Organic foods do not contain pesticides or harmful chemicals, they are healthier and cause fewer allergies. The premium cost might just give you a peace of mind, and an environment conscientious reward. You can find them in the stores, in the farmer’s market, or online. Avoid getting products with excessive packaging, as waste would get pilled up in the landfills, and eventually, the harm would get back to us. One word of caution is to be aware of candy looking cannabis that is infused with marijuana. Marijuana overdosed has risen 200% among children under the age of 5 in the past years. We don’t want to avoid trick-or-treat all together but protecting our children should be our priority.

4. Travel Eco- friendly
Walk or carpool to your party or trick-or-treat destinations. Trick-or-treat in a neighborhood is a fun way to get some exercise too. Come out and see your community, school friends, and athletic teammates. What a fun holiday for excitements and memories. My husband coached a soccer team a couple of years ago, kids were excited to see him in costume trick-or-treating in the dusk. They all called him "Coach" instead of "Clown" that he was dressed as. So you never know who you will see traveling by foot.

5. Organize an Eco-Friendly Halloween Party
Use environmentally friendly decorations, recycle costumes, organic food, and washable dishes. Remind your guests it’s an environmentally friendly party, they should also dress or do something environmentally friendly. The most eco-friendly guy or gal will get a price. Always try to influence others to save planet Earth, and thus ourselves in the end. I don’t know if you’re up to visiting a cemetery for fun, but you can get a fun group exercise out of mobile apps like Pokémon Go, Walking Dead, Ingress, Jurassic World Alive, Zombies Run, or Mobbles. These are geocaching or VR apps that you must walk around to collect your prizes.


Happy Halloween, my friends!