Halloween is right around the corner and for me, it’s a marker of the upcoming holiday season. While it’s important to maintain the cheer and joy that comes with the holidays, I think it’s equally important to do so in an eco-friendly manner. So much waste is generated during this time of year so the more we can do to offset that, the better.

Here are 9 tips that I like to keep in mind when preparing for the holiday season!

Halloween

I love Halloween; it’s one of my favorite holidays!

This spooky day is an opportunity to really let your creative energy shine. It allows children to dress up and live out fantasy characters and gives adults a chance to let their imagination run wild. The downside of this holiday is the amount of waste created. Think about all the pieces of plastic wrapping those individual candies or the number of costumes you’ve worn only once and then thrown away because you couldn’t be seen wearing them the next year.

1. Costume Creativity!

Swap out the traditional idea of purchasing a costume specifically made for Halloween and instead, consider creating something from your own closet. That long black dress paired with some dramatic face makeup and a broom could make for a fantastic witch costume.

Another thing that I’ve seen recently is that thrift stores are beginning to carry more and more costumes during this time of year. Mix and match from the pieces that you find and see if you can create something new!

2. Conscious Candy!

When purchasing candy to hand out, consider packing and manufacturing. See if you can buy from brands that support the values you believe in and instead of buying goods covered in plastic, opt for those that use paper or cardboard. Some other options include fruits that are naturally sealed (think tangerines or mini bananas) and non-food items (though many of those are also made with plastic and created to be disposable).

3. Reuse Your Decorations!

This is going to be a theme throughout, but if you commit to purchasing decorations, store them in a safe place and use them year after year.

Thanksgiving

“Americans throw away roughly $165 billion in uneaten food every year...about $293 million of that waste will happen during Thanksgiving--and that’s just for turkey alone.” - Market Watch

Thanksgiving is the time for family, friends, and FOOD. It’s a holiday associated with decadent meals and eating so much that you feel like you’re about to bust. At the same time, so much of that food is trashed. Here are some of my favorite tips for minimizing waste, decreasing environmental impact, and increasing social impact.

4. Buy Locally! 

Create your Thanksgiving spread from as many locally-grown, in-season items as you can. Foods that are grown in your region take less energy to get to your table and are typically denser in nutrients. If you want to take it a step further, challenge yourself by serving as many plant-based dishes (or go entirely vegetarian) to reduce your environmental impact!

5. Cut the Disposables. 

We’ve gotten into this habit of using single-use utensils for large group gatherings and it needs to stop. Instead of using paper plates, plastic utensils, and paper towels, choose to serve dinner on quality dinnerware instead. Sure, disposable items make the clean-up process easier, but it generates so much trash. Setting the table with actual plates and silverware can help set the mood for intimacy and human connection. Enrolling your guests to help with the clean-up can even serve as a bonding activity!

6. Make Use Of Your Leftovers!

Choose to donate your leftovers to local organizations that will accept them or send them home with your guests. You can preemptively ask your friends and family members to bring their own tupperware and divvy up the leftovers afterwards. So much food is wasted every year and we can all be more mindful of how we’re resolving this situation.

Holiday Season

TIS THE SEASON! Joy is in the air and tinsel is everywhere! The holiday season has become synonymous with consumption and that makes it the perfect opportunity to practice your sustainability values. 

7. Buy A Real Tree!

Did you know that a reusable, artificial tree is actually worse for the environment than buying a live tree every year? 

The amount of resources that go into making that fake tree (which typically has a lifespan of 6 years) far outweigh the amount of resources that go into growing a live tree. When purchasing a plant for your living room, buy one that was grown pesticide-free and in a safe way. 

Alternatively, you can buy a living, potted tree that you can move inside for the holiday season and then back out every other day of the year. When your tree comes to its end-of-life, make sure that you’re disposing of it in an eco-friendly way.

8. Give Mindfully.

The amount of waste that comes with gift-giving is ridiculous! Americans spend so much money on unrecyclable wrapping paper only to have it torn off and trashed. This year, push yourself to minimize your environmental impact by wrapping your gifts in recycled and recyclable paper (think newspapers, magazines, etc) or maybe even skipping the wrapping altogether. 

On the topic of gift-giving itself, see if you can thrift or re-gift an item instead of purchasing it new. Another tactic that I’m hoping to implement more of this year is to give experiences instead of material goods. If your loved one has wanted to travel somewhere, see a show, or learn a skill, give them the opportunity to experience that instead.

9. Offset Your Holiday Travels.

In today’s world where travel has gotten so accessible, it’s no surprise that we’re commuting farther and more frequently for our holiday plans. This holiday season, consider carpooling, using public transportation, or even looking into purchasing carbon offsets.

Do you have any go-to tips to make your holiday celebrations more environmentally conscious? Please share them down below!

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