Individually wrapped candies, plastic monster masks, and toxic Halloween makeup are haunting nightmares for the environmentally conscious. To minimize eco-fright while still participating in ghoulish shenanigans, the Toronto weekly NOW recommends straying from toxic vinyl costumes. Truly environmentally friendly outfit options are slim (sounds like a market in need of tapping), but you could always concoct your own with organic fabrics. You could also arrange for a pre-Halloween pep party by swapping costumes and accessories from previous seasons. You can even brew up face paint without the parabens and petroleum found in many cosmetics. And a look back into Utne Reader‘s archives reveals some helpful tidbits on how to green the sweet morsels of trick-or-treating.
Halloween is just the beginning of the lineup of holidays heading our way. Check out “Dreaming of a Greener Holiday” from Natural Home‘s upcoming Nov/Dec issue.
Their “Thinking Outside the Tree” suggestions having me considering the aesthetics of a homemade driftwood tree. —Anna Cynar
