Are you wondering how to make your Halloween greener this year? You might also be cringing at the thought of your kids eating all of those sugar filled treats and wondering what you can offer as a healthier option. A mom in Seattle also thought about these things a couple of years ago and that was the start of a grassroots initiative to create healthier and more Earth-friendly holidays, beginning with Halloween. Now known as Green Halloween, the movement officially began in 2007 and is backed by companies like Whole Foods Market. It was a huge success in Seattle last year so the group is working to make this a nation-wide initiative for 2008. Visit them online and get all the info you need to make your holiday greener.
If you are thinking about handing out treats that are healthier for our children and our planet this year, the Green Halloween website has a long list of items that sound delicious. They include treats like certified organic fruit leather by a company called Fruitabu that contain only natural sugars and no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. There is even an all natural chewing gum called Glee Gum. It is made with sustainably harvested rainforest chicle and is available in six flavors. They also list some simple solutions that you may not have thought about like organic applesauce snack packs, organic juice boxes and organic granola bars. Additionally they offer some wonderfully creative suggestions for non-food treat items that you can give instead of sweet treats that will still delight the little ones. They will love getting treasures like spinning tops, soy or beeswax crayons, stickers and whistles.
Maybe you prefer to stick with tradition and still want to hand out candy. If you look for organic, all-natural, dye-free ingredients you can offer a healthier sweet treat. The Green Halloween site also includes a number of companies that provide all natural candy, such as, Endangered Species Chocolate. Their chocolate is certified organic and ethically traded with 52% cocoa content. The company also donates 10% of their net profits to help support species, habitat and humanity. Another company topping the list is Pure Fun. They make a variety of individually wrapped organic, fair trade, vegan and dye-free hard candies. They only use organic sugar cane and never use pesticides, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO's), synthetic flavors or artificial FD&C colorants.
Of course it is going to be almost impossible to keep your children from all of the sugary sweets that are handed out on this holiday, but if you think outside of the box, there are some ways to limit the amount that they actually eat. The folks at Green Halloween have come up with some great ideas like the Halloween fairy. Tell your child a story about the Halloween fairy that turns candy into magic fairy dust. Explain that she needs as much candy as she can get her hands on so if a child leaves candy outside on the porch, the fairy will come to take the candy and leave a special gift of thanks. Another of their suggestions is to have a candy trade. Kids receive a "pumpkin point" for each piece of candy they collect and then trade the points for a toy or special activity. Use these ideas to start some new holiday traditions for your family. Instead of throwing the un-eaten candy in the garbage, save it for special treats or check with your city to see if they will use it for compost.
In addition to offering healthier treat options, Green Halloween also suggests many other ways that you can make this holiday more eco-friendly. Consider the bag your children are using to collect their treats. Are you purchasing something that will just be thrown away when the candy is all gone? As an alternative, let your children make their own bag from things around the house. You can use pillow cases, shopping bags, purses, or sew them out of fabric. They will love getting creative with their bags and making them their own. If you or your children are not the crafty type, there are some cute reusable bags on the market such as the Chico Halloween bag that was designed by kids.
The Green Halloween site also includes some great tips for greening your costumes. Instead of buying a new one, borrow from a friend, rent one or make one from reusable materials. They give some very original green-themed costume ideas that you can create from things around the house. For example, make a Mother Earth costume by painting yourself blue, brown and green (with non-toxic body paint of course) and wearing wispy clothing in the same colors. Attach paper or stuffed animals to your body and weave flowers and plants throughout your clothing and hair. Give your children a chance to use their imaginations, ask them what they would like to be and their answers will probably surprise you. They will enjoy coming up with ways to create their costume and you will both have Halloween memories to last a lifetime.
Volunteers across the country are helping to spread the word about Green Halloween in their communities this year. If you want to get involved you can become a volunteer simply by sending them an email. You can help by doing things such as talking to your local schools and community business about celebrating a Green Halloween, handing out informational post cards or even by hosting a Green Halloween party or neighborhood bash. Every participating community also has the opportunity to raise funds for a chosen local beneficiary. There are events planned across the country this year so be sure to check out the online map to see if there is one near you.
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