Eco Friendly Halloween!

By Zeina AlHashmi

It’s October, which means its Halloween season. Since this holiday is known to be one of the most fun and exciting as people’s creativity really kicks in, we wanted to spice up the creativity levels even more and help celebrate & enjoy it in an eco-friendly way. Now, Halloween can not only be super wasteful but also super expensive, especially here in the UAE. So, for the first time, we are bringing you a special, carefully thought out, blog to not only reduce the impact on the environment, but also the impact on your bank account!

Halloween tips and tricks inspiration made super simple and super sustainable!

Let’s talk about decorations. Here’s a couple of DIY that are easy and fun to make. The key is to use what you already have, you can really be surprised by the number of things you already own that would make great sources for amazing decorations.

Another incredible aspect to DIY decorations is that it’s a great way to spend time with your kids, family as well as friends.

Essentially all you need are:

Old cardboard boxes,
Tree branches & twigs
Glass jars, bottles or old tins & cans,
Fairy lights
A bunch of white cotton fabric e.g. rags, cloths or cheesecloths
Black & orange paint and markers

Here are some ideas:

Carve out old cardboard boxes. Your options here are endless. You can make bat, crows or spider shapes, paint them black and hang! Or you can paint them orange & carve out the box to look like Halloween pumpkins. You can even cut them out into prop signs and write phrases like “BOO” “SPOOKY” “Keep OUT”

With old candle containers, old tin cans, glass bottles or jars you can wrap them in cloth and draw black eyes or write on them Halloween themed words.

Lastly, use tree branches and twigs, at no cost and easily found anywhere outdoor, this little trick can give you the Halloween feel all around the house. You can either put them together to make a broom or you can use them randomly around the house to hang the cardboard bats, crows & spiders!

The greatest thing about all the above, is that these decorations do not go to waste. You can simply pack them up in a storage box and reuse them over and over again each year!

Food & Snacks

Going low waste in food during this one-day celebration has a huge impact! Whether you are hosting a gathering or simply spending it at home with family and friends, here a list of crazy creative ways to put together delicious Halloween themed treats.

Ideas for finger food on a platter:

Carve nails into carrots
Cut out eyes in bell peppers and stuff with cheese, dip or veggies
Make a brain and dip out of cauliflower and avocados
Banana ghosts
Peeled clementine with a celery top
Butternut Squash carvings
Use blueberries for eyes and slice strawberries as tongues

The key for low waste snacks is to shop unpackaged. Choose naked fruits and vegetables and bring your own reusable produce bags. For cheeses, olives and dips like hummus or labneh these can also be bought package free, as long as you remember to bring your own containers to the stores. Breads and crackers can also be bought without packaging from the bakeries.

Use old white rags, towels, pillowcases, cloths or cheese cloths to make ghost like decorations and work as scary drapes over your furniture. To give a little extra effect, you can dip them in coffee or tea to give them a vintage color/feel and then tear through them. The trick to keep cloths rigid is to dip them in flour mixed with water and then shape them and leave them to dry. Invest in fairy lights. These are great decorations for almost any occasion. If you cover them with a bed sheet you have yourself a Human sized ghost. Or cover the individual lights in the cloths from above and you have yourself small ghost decorations.

Green Alternatives for Trick-or-Treaters

With the pandemic, trick or treating might be deemed a high risk activity and so this year, “treats” might just be about bringing Halloween treats to a friend’s place or about handing them out as giveaway to guests. Having said that, the safest, eco-friendliest option out there would be making your own.

Homemade treats is the simplest way to avoid single use packaging and, not to mention, cutting down on the sugar and artificial coloring and flavor in the ‘fun sized’ candy bars. It’s also a great way to raise awareness and divert from the “norm” that has left our planet drowning in the non-recyclable wrappers.

If you don’t want homemade, you have two more low waste options to consider:

The bulk route: Head over to candy stalls or stores (e.g. sweet factory or candylicious) that sell package free candy. Bring your own container, select and mix. Make your own giveaway treats.

*For non-plastic reusable giveaway packaging, visit stores like Gift Land, Diaso & Madinat zayed for small reusable pouch bags like organza, or linen or simply use small paper favor bags.*

Recyclable packaging: choose paper packaged treats like nerds or foil packaged like Hershey’s kisses.

If you want to skip the candy handouts all together then opt for sustainable and greener way of participating, you can offer toys, pencils, erasers, DIY bookmarks, playing cards, storybooks etc.

No matter what your Halloween plans are for this year, it’s still fun to get in costume!

At the end of the night… It’s all about the costume! However, the real deal breaker is the cost of Halloween costumes!! In the UAE a costume starting price ranges from 150 dhs (for kids) to 450 dhs (for adults) aside from the add on accessories like fake nails, bloody stick-on skin, mustaches, wigs etc. These costumes are usually only worn once, made from really bad material and don’t support fair trade. On top of it, they are sold in cheap plastic packaging.

Here are your eco options for this year: Remember Halloween Costumes can be easily crafted from items and clothes you already own!

Rent, buy or use Second hand

If you are one that doesn’t want to spend time designing and prefers ready-made, this waste less option is for you. All you need to do is a quick online search, join your local community group or swap costumes with friends and family.

Get crafty, make your own Halloween costume and Do your Own makeup

This applies for kids, women and men! There are amazing fun ideas out there and usually only requires cut up black shirts. Now with 2020, this would involve getting creative with your face mask.

Join the GreenFootprint’s Plastic Free Halloween Party!

UAE 2020

PLASTIC FREE

HALLOWEEN

PARTY

www.greenfootprint.ae

List your healthy snack business (Select Event / Plastic Free Halloween Category)
Give-away or sell your unwanted costumes. Create a listing so people can find you easily. (Select Service / Plastic Free Halloween Category)
Share your creativity with us! Tag #greenfootprintuae on Instagram and we will share your story or share your pictures and ideas on our forum

Follow Zeina on Istagram @earthly_behavior and read more about her sustainable living here

Blog