FAIRFIELD -- Halloween costumes represent 12 million pounds of annual textile waste in the U.S.
About 83% of all costumes end up in landfills, a marketing group reported.
"Last year, Americans spent $4.1 billion on costumes - with an average of $108 per costume. That includes $700 million on pet costumes. Worse, 83% of pre-packaged costumes are made from oil-based plastics, destined for a landfill, where they'll sit for centuries," the group stated.
There are advocates, however, for creating do-it-yourself costumes for an eco-conscious celebration, "all while keeping the fun and creativity alive."
Among the ideas is to reuse old costumes, or rent a costume, then return it.
"One of the most unsustainable things about Halloween is disposable decorations ... A great start is to reuse what you already own. If you already have a collection of Halloween décor, prioritize that and get crafty for any new additions," according to Sustainability Chic.
"This could like like using old stockings or yarn to make spiderwebs. You can paint and cut cardboard boxes to turn them into tombstones. Use old bed sheets or T-shirts to create flying ghosts. Make use of natural items like straw bales, branches, leaves, pumpkins, and gourds to spice up your Halloween décor sustainably. If you have leftover paper or plastic bags, cotton balls, plastic bottles, or black garbage bags, DIY Halloween decorations are a great way to put them to use," Sustainability Chic stated.
There are a host of other websites that offer ideas.
"You can easily make your own Halloween decorations, thanks to the endless ideas and tutorials available online today. Try to create decorations from sustainable materials or items you already have lying around."
Other ideas include:
* Give out ethically made treats: You can find non-GMO, local candy options at your neighborhood health food store. You can even now find fair-trade chocolate and candy brands at places like Costco and Target, which won't break the bank.
* Choose compostable cutlery for Halloween parties: There are several eco-friendly disposable cutlery options that make it convenient and eco-friendly to host a Halloween party.
* Skip or utilize the whole pumpkin: If you want to carve pumpkins, first choose locally grown pumpkins, ideally from a local pumpkin patch. Then, try to use the pumpkin in its entirety. Save the filling and make a pumpkin pie or mash. Roast the pumpkin seeds for a savory snack. Lastly, avoid painting your pumpkin so that you can successfully compost it when you're done with it.
* If throwing a party, make your own food choices, and make your own decorations.