The leaves are falling, the pumpkins are calling and kids of all ages are announcing their alter-egos to the world.
This can be such a wonderful time of gathering in the community, walking amidst the changing colours and fog drifts, and getting creative with gourds and costume ideas. It can also be a time of knee-jerk, last-minute decisions that land us with a pile of unintended garbage, plastic, and a sugar hangover come November.
Trolling the aisles of your local consignment or second-hand shop to get a costume brewing is a popular notion these days. You could also find the perfect piece in your friend’s closet or by scouring your own basement. It’s far less scary than buying new, cheaply made, purely synthetic outfits and masks that are less than unique, or even breathable for that matter.
Even second-hand stores cave to offering new costume items this time of the year, so if waste-free is your intention, be wise to this reality.
Creating a character through the art of makeup is another low-waste alternative. The recycling box can be a handy source for costume props, too. Cardboard alone has dozens of uses.
Perhaps the most captivating low-waste costuming comes from nature itself. Pine cones, leaves, branches, squash, cedar fronds and other fall greenery can be incorporated into a spectacular array of outfits.
Feel like dressing up your lawn instead? There are a few ways to avoid ghoulish waste here as well.
Gourds of all types needn’t be carved up to make a festive display on your porch. Make a scarecrow from old clothing or thrift store finds, stuffing the body with old clothes or hay, whatever is most available.
With fall leaves in abundance, they are an easy addition to any display. Spent lumber can be crafted into lawn displays.
Cozy yourself inside to make candleholders out of mason jars, autumn window displays or pumpkin soup. Unsure where to start? Online ideas are plentiful this time of year.
The aftermath of Halloween didn’t used to be streets and garbage cans littered with plastic, but the present reality is haunting. Treat packaging has trended toward the scary, lightweight, crinkly plastic. Avoid purchasing these treat packages too soon, lest you be tempted to indulge in these packaging-heavy, small-portioned sweets.
Perhaps opt to skip the plastic wrapped options and look for those wrapped in boxboard, paper or tinfoil, which have a higher recycling value than plastic snack wrappers. You can even think outside of the snack idea and parents may bless you for it, or gift plastic-free school supplies such colourful pencils, erasers, thrift store finds, succulent plant cuttings, beeswax candles (if age appropriate), or even coins for their piggy bank.
Once the trick-or-treating is done, but before the carved pumpkin on your front porch gets even scarier, feed it to the soil. If you don’t have a backyard composter, you can divert it for animal feed on November 1 between 9 am and 5 pm. Each year, a local farmer has been picking up our ghoulish orange waste (wax and toothpicks removed, please) at the Town Centre Recycling Depot.
Those of you who miss this event can still take advantage of the community compost pilot program ongoing at the depot and Sunshine Disposal and Recycling (4484 Franklin Avenue) on select days.
Let’s Talk Trash is contracted by qathet Regional District to offer its waste reduction education program. For more information, email [email protected] or go to LetsTalkTrash.ca.
