This post is part of the 2011 Greening your Halloween Blog Tour brought to us by Green Planet Parties, Green Halloween, Green Gift Guide, Surf Sweets and A Little Bit of Momsense.
September inspired changes regarding healthier lunches, avoiding packaging and rethinking purchases in our house. I had another idea too, perhaps it is time to get a little eco-crazy and raise the bar a little. How about a monthly mindful, green healthy challenge? Something easily adapted to suit lifestyle and comfort level. Even small actions make a difference.
With two weeks left, there is still time to green Hallowe’en. Our family decided not to spend any money on a Hallowe’en costumes. Instead, we will repurpose, recycle, borrow or create something spooktacular.
According to the National Costume Swap website, “swapping half the costumes kids wear on Halloween would reduce the annual landfill waste by 6,250 tons, equal to the weight of 2500 mid-sized cars”.
Recycling and repurposing costumes reduces packaging, transportation, and manufacturing resources too. This is an easier task thanks to costume swaps like this one here in Ottawa tomorrow, 2pm at Dovercourt Recreation Centre.
Eye-rolling conversations are happening in our house with stories of Hallowe’en in the olden days. “When I was a kid…” kind of talk about saving ice cream containers, tinfoil and boxes to make a robot. (That was my husband’s masterpiece!) I remember a creative classmate that stuck little cars on two long pieces of cardboard attached with string at the shoulders. Her costume, a road complete with median lines and a homemade stop sign in hand. Ah, retro Hallowe’en…
So what do you think? Will you join me in this challenge? If you email me photos of your green inspired costumes, I will post them. We can have a little fun and feel good that we kept waste from the landfill and a bit of money in our wallets.
Waaahahaaaa!
Please note: Post updated October 16th to include picture and Blog Carnival information.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
I love it! My daughter will likely be wearing one of two options, both of which I spent $2 on at a yard sale preview, so they’re total hand-me-downs and already active in her “dress up” stash!
Good luck!
Sounds like you are all set Andrea and at $2, you did really well! Great idea to have a dress up stash year round, not just at Hallowe’en.
Retro Hallowe’en. I love it. Count me in! We are going to trade costumes with our cousins.
Does it count as being green if the costume you bought last year was too big and can be re-worn? I will chalk that up to environmental responsibility and not at all to laziness at having waited until the day before Halloween last year and then scrambling to find whatever was still available.
LC – Awesome!
LH – Of course it counts.
Plus it’s not lazy, it’s GREEN. Bonus!
Urgh, I already bought Hallowe’en costumes for this year. But next year I will gladly take your hand-me-downs!
“With two weeks left, there is still time to green Hallowe’en. Our family decided not to spend any money on a Hallowe’en costumes. Instead, we will repurpose, recycle, borrow or create something spooktacular.”
That’s a great idea! I don’t really ‘dress up’ anymore, but when I did I also enjoyed renting costumes . That way nothing ends up in the trash. But we did drive to the costume shop, so it doesn’t really cut down on emissions! I’m looking forward to seeing your creations!
P.S. I hate to bug, but did you receive my email? I sent it to you awhile ago. I’m wondering if Hotmail is acting up again!
Hi Pauline – Thanks and no, I didn’t receive your email. I went through it carefully tonight and couldn’t find it. Could you resend it please?
I’m not going to any parties this year, so no dressing up for me, but I’m a huge fan of repurposing existing fabrics and materials and only buying things I can continue to wear on “normal” days.
Looking forward to seeing everyone’s photos!
The kids will be wearing something from the cotume box (boy may be a kight, which is a costume I bought on sale but I couldn’t resist) or some costumes I picked up seconhand. I however just bought myself my first Halloween costume and I love it.