They'd throw me out of California
if I didn't include a Hippie Halloween article!
It's Easy to Have a Green
Halloweenby Andrea Lee
Joy to the Planet is a weekly ecourse on how
to enjoy life and help the planet. It being the season, the topic of this
article is How to Enjoy Halloween AND help the planet...
First let me say that Halloween, I think, has the potential to be one of
the greener celebrations on the calendar. The reason for that is it
happens at a time of year - fall, or harvest time in many parts of the
world - that is naturally easier for us to be in touch with.
When the seasons change, many things happen that make us notice. Whether
that be the change of the leaves, a cooling of the temperature, or just
the way the sunlight shines more warmly or brightly at that certain
angle...nature has a way of tapping us on the shoulder in the fall, for me
anyway.
Having said that, Halloween is an event that causes a lot of garbage,
whether that be costumes, candy wrappers or decorations of all sorts. So
today's issue of Joy to the Planet is a primer on how to make Halloween
more enjoyable...and help the planet at the same time. Enjoy!
1. Try going to a thrift store and 'scrounge' for an original costume...
Did you ever have a 'tickle' trunk as a child? Where inside, there were
all sorts of unknown accessories, clothes, hats and things that you could
dig through and play dress up? Thrift stores (and consignment stores as
well as Salvation Army shops) are like this on a larger scale, and
especially at Halloween, server as veritable treasure troves for costumes
for the big and small kid alike.
Instead of giving in and grabbing whatever plastic mask is handy at the
grocery store...try getting your creative juices going and put together
something really special. I couldn't believe my eyes the year an actual
'shower' came to the door...shower curtain, shower head, fake water, the
works. Apparently it cost him all of $11!
You'll have a great time doing it, and because it's that much cheaper at a
thrift store, you'll be able to put a little cash aside for something that
will last you more than one evening a year. Oh and yes, of course...by
recycling old parts and clothes, you are preventing one more new/plastic
costume from being wasted and ending up in the garbage after just one use.
The planet will thank you!
2. Try a reusable pumpkin...
Are you someone who doesn't use their Halloween pumpkin for anything other
than decoration? You know, you don't toast the seeds for snacking or use
the pumpkin for pie after the big trick or treat night?
I know, it sounds rather quaint, doesn't it?
Well, you're certainly not alone. Very few people I know realize a
pumpkin makes for pretty good eating! But no harm. Particularly for you,
there's something really easy you can do for the planet at Halloween:
that's buy a reusable pumpkin (ceramic works best), with a face carved
permanently into it and an easy spot to put a candle inside.
Just think for a moment about how many pumpkins get used at Halloween as
decoration only and then get tossed. It's literally hundreds of thousands
each year. By using a reusable pumpkin instead, you get to enjoy a
favorite jack-o-lantern year after year and forgo the fuss of dealing with
a fresh pumpkin seeing as you don't eat it anyway.
3. Try helping a cat, a bat, or family of bats...
Here's an interesting Halloween fact: last year, over $100 million was
spent by Americans on Halloween...kinda amazing isn't it? Breaking it
down, the statistics show that the average family spent between $30-50 on
candy alone.
How might that same amount of money be spent on something more enjoyable
than more candy, and help the planet at the same time? What if you donated
the same amount of money to a cat shelter, bat conservatory or SPCA, and
hand out 'bat' Halloween cards instead?
Out of all the candy that kids collect, wouldn't it be neat to hand
something different out, and make an impression as that "batty house" in
the neighborhood?
Knowing you've helped out a cat or family of bats is a truly terrific
feeling, and all the better if you make it a new Halloween tradition.
Making a cat or bat card is easy too, just use recycled paper to print out
some free drawings of bats from www.dgl.microsoft.com, print a scary BOO!
on the back and you're all set.
As far as who to donate to, check your phone book for a local cat shelter
or SPCA office. They'll be thrilled to hear from you. Or, one of the
better known green not-for-profit organizations in the US is
www.batconservation.org. Hmm...if just a small number of people (all 3000
Joy to the Planet subscribers?
) donated their candy money to helping save bats instead...talk about
making a difference to the planet and enjoying Halloween at the same time!
4. Try a green theme costume...
This tip comes courtesy of Mike, my husband, who takes the credit for
converting me into a green in the first place. (thanks Mike!
)
To piggyback on tip number one above, when you're deciding on what 'to be'
for Halloween, or maybe you're helping young folk decide...consider giving
the costumes a 'green' theme. You'll be an original, and spark
conversation about the planet at the same time, very cool. As far as ideas
are concerned, how about dressing up as
>> the sun, using orange clothing from head to toe from the thrift store,
and a cardboard halo attached to a headband, also orange...
>> a tree, use green, orange, red and yellow fabric of different textures
to cut out tons of leaves, and turn arms and legs into tree branches and
trunk...
In other words, use your imagination! Anything that's an animal or
vegetable even, can be fun. And especially if you have a family, this can
be the source of an enjoyable weekend or two, all while helping the planet
and getting in the spirit of Halloween.
5. Try a 'Help Yourself' Sign...
As some of you know, I'm actually a fairly shy person, especially in
groups, so this Halloween tip is one I use fairly regularly. (It helps
create an air of 'mystery' around us in our neighborhood too.
)
Instead of opening your door 10, 20, 30 times in the course of the
evening, set up a display on your doorstep with candy in a basket and a
hand drawn sign saying
'Take one each, and ONLY one....or we will send our giant spider to seek
revenge!'
Hehe. Definitely use scary letters for this one. And get into the swing of
things if you like by making a ghost from an old sheet, fancy up your
display.
And before you ask...the sign works wonders actually, you'd be surprised.
Every time I've done this (and sometimes it was simply cuz I was away on
Halloween) there's been candy left in the basket the next morning.
Of course, aside from scaring the kiddies, this is a great green tip too
because you save a load of heat by keeping the door shut. The planet...and
your heating bill...will thank you.
And that's it! Now you know how easy it can be to have a green halloween.
Whether you use recycled stuff to make a really memorable costume, or get
in the spirit of things by helping out a real bat colony, or something in
between, I hope you find a way to enjoy your Halloween AND help the planet
at the same time.
I know at our place, we'll be using as many of the above tips as possible,
including turning out all the lights to make the house look scary!
If you have any questions about this issue of Joy to the Planet, or other
questions about how to make your life more planet-friendly in an enjoyable
way, drop me a line at andrea@joytotheplanet.com It will be a pleasure to
help.
Until next time, when we explore another way to enjoy life, and help the
planet...
Warmly,
Andrea
Andrea Lee
andrea@joytotheplanet.com
www.joytotheplanet.com
Andrea
Lee is author of the weekly ezine called Joy to the Planet, where you can
learn how to enjoy life and help the planet at the same time. Visit the
ecourse or Reach Andrea at andrea@joytotheplanet.com and
www.joytotheplanet.com |
