Eco-Parenting in the Consume-me Age: Halloween part 1: Decorations
Eco-parenting, Holidays, House, Reduce Reuse Recycle October 26th, 2007The Christmas house starts on October 1st now.
You know the “Christmas house”: the one in your neighborhood that you can see from a mile away. The one you give directions from: “you know the Christmas house? well we live…”
Halloween decorations are big business. Retailers can make a killing selling you plastic, disposable junk that you need to buy every year to keep up with the Jones. Durn those Jones!! Don’t give in!! If you’re feeling weak, don’t go to the drugstore… or grocery store…or even the hardware store!?!!
Decorations are fine. There’s nothing wrong with being festive. But decorate in an eco-friendly manner.
Outdoors, use permanent, non-disposable decorations. Buy only ones you love and keep them forever. Make sure they’re sturdy. (bonus: this will end up costing less and looking more classy!)
Use decorations made from more natural materials, like wood, metal, and cloth. Try not to get ones made out of plastic or styrofoam. Of course, if you already have plastic ones, I’m not advocating tossing them in the landfill. Just don’t encourage this endemic wasting of our limited petroleum resources to make junk by buying any more.
For inside, have your kids make some that are biodegradable. Make them out of paper and cotton balls and then compost them when Halloween’s over. Don’t forget to compost the jack-o-lantern! (check the heap for pumpkin seedlings, these can be potted up and transplanted: pumpkins in January if you live in a warm climate, and interesting houseplants if you live up North!)
Get decorations that can be used for more than one holiday: scarecrows and pumpkins are good for Thanksgiving, too. Those giant lollipops for Christmas can be covered with white cloth and moonlight as ghosts. Get a Halloween flag that will fit on the same flagpole as the one you use for national holidays. Be creative.
Whatever you do, don’t plug in your decorations!!!
Ban the string lights and giant balloons with the motors to keep them inflated!
Put beeswax candles in your pumpkins—this is Halloween!
