Go Green For Halloween Say Eco Activists
Halloween in Bermuda is a time for ghosts and goblins and candies — but it also results in mountains of discarded costumes, decorations and sweet wrappers, warns Greenrock.
Writing at the Bermuda environmental activist group’s website, Greenrock’s Rowan Hallett says Halloween doesn’t have to be a festival of waste and wrapping.
“In fact, the holiday we know today derives from the ancient Gaelic festival Samhain that marked the end of the harvesting season, when stocktaking and resourceful planning for the upcoming winter were done,” she said. “There are plenty of ways to get in touch with the resourceful-minded historical roots of this fun fall festival and make your Halloween frightfully green.”
Greenrock actively proclaims the concept of sustainability in Bermuda, encouraging Government and Bermuda residents to include the environment in their decision-making.
Among Ms Hallett’s tips for celebrating a “Green Halloween” on October 31 are:
- If you decide to light your darkened doorstep with a a traditional Jack-o’-lantern, make sure you check with one of the local farmers for a fresh pumpkin.
- When carving out the “guts”, set aside the seeds and flesh of the pumpkin. You can make delicious pumpkin soup with the flesh, or try baking mini pecan pumpkin pies to replace store-bought treats Seeds can be roasted as another tasty Halloween treat … or save a few and grow your very own Jack-o’-lantern next year.
- Reduce your waste this holiday by recycling some of your trash to make Halloween decorations instead of buying new ones. You’ll not only reuse non-recyclable trash items, you’ll cut down on plastic wrappers and packaging.
- Coffee tins and paint cans: Clean the cans and fill them with cold water, leaving two inches of space at the top for the water to expand as it freezes. Place the cans in the freezer until the ice is solid, then paint them and punch designs in the sides with a hammer and nail. When the ice has melted, place a votive candle in the bottom and you have a personal Halloween lantern.
- Paper and cardboard: These items are not commercially recycled in Bermuda, but they can be personally recycled into great masks galore. There are plenty of options for kids of all ages and abilities. Some ideas include making papier mache masks; cutting templates out of cardboard and decorating them with feathers, paint and glitter; or simply shaping construction paper into any character you wish (visit www.greenhalloween.org for directions).
- Old costumes: If you’re a member of a PTA or another social committee, organise a Halloween costume exchange. Ask kids and their parents to bring in their old costumes and clothes, and find gently used, new-to-you costumes each year.
This year, do something a little different from the other houses in the neighbourhood,” concluded Ms Hallett. ” … Replace plastic decorations that can be harmful to the environment with natural décor like old man’s beard or dried branches and leaves. Rather than buying bulk-packaged candy, try making these trash-free treats with your kids … they’re even a bit healthier!
“Hopefully these tips will inspire you to come up with some fiendishly clever ideas to make your Halloween less wasteful but just as fun. Greenrock wishes everyone a safe and happy Halloween!”
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I am begging all parents that will listen, please, please, please teach your children to throw their trash in the trash can. It sounds so simple but if you teach them why it is important, then I promise you they will want to put their trash in the proper place. If we teach the children, then we will raise a generation free of litterbugs.