Did you know that on average, the British population spend £300 million to prepare for Halloween every year? Well the spooky holiday is here again and we at Onesta can’t wait! Lets chat about some of our top tips to have an amazing Halloween all whilst not hurting our planet or our pockets. 

First of all, this may seem obvious but we couldn’t not point it out; if you’re throwing a party, send your invite online! An email, message or call is an easy way to invite people, as well as saving paper. There are loads of free online websites such as Punchbowl, Evite, and Paperless Post where you can make and send out invitations as well as gathering RSVPs easily! 

Costumes 

Around 7 million costumes are binned each year, with 4 out of 10 of those only having been worn once. Avoid throwing away some of these costumes and try organising a costume swap with friends and family, give costumes a second life and try something new! It’s estimated that 82% of the materials found in Halloween costumes are non-recyclable plastics, there are plenty of ways to make your own costumes, find things around your home that you can be made into a Halloween outfit, or just re-wear one from a previous year! Similarly, you don’t spend loads of money if you rent a costume or look in charity shops, again giving costumes a second chance without buying something brand new. If you have any costumes in your wardrobe that you know you won’t wear again, sell them on an app such as Depop or Vinted, or donate them to a charity shop so there aren’t sent to landfill.

Decorations 

In terms of decorations, there are so many ways in which you can avoid buying new each year! Fallen branches, foliage and flowers can make for a great wreath, table decorations or just to put around your venue to create an autumnal atmosphere. If you already have some decorations from previous years such as lights, bunting or banners then reuse them! Print off images to place around, upcycle some old clothes pegs to hang them. Avoid buying new as much as possible, why not just use the things you already have? If you do need to buy new, try using fabric or paper bunting instead of balloons, you can save them for future events as well as being much kinder to the environment!   

Pumpkins 

One of the main parts of Halloween is of course the pumpkins! In 2019 almost 17 million pumpkins were purchased for the Halloween season, with over half of those people throwing them straight into the bin or food waste when they’re done with them. The first thing to think of is where to source them, it’s much better to buy from a local farmer instead of the supermarket. Many supermarkets market their pumpkins as ‘carving pumpkins’ but don’t let this stop you from using your pumpkins for more than just carving. When scooping out the seeds, don’t let them go to waste, make them into snacks for your party! There are plenty of pumpkin recipes that can utilise any excess of your pumpkin carving. Why not give Roasted Pumpkin Seeds a go, or you could add to the sweet treat table at your party and try out these Pumpkin Cupcakes! 

When your pumpkin has done its job and it’s started to rot, leave it out in your garden for birds or insects to feed on. Or you can bury it in garden to decompose or throw it on your compost heap or put it in your organics bin, try not to just throw it in with your general waste! 

Food

Whilst mentioning pumpkins, let’s talk about food! The main thing is to try and prepare your food yourself to reduce any plastic waste. If you are going to buy something new, try and purchase from zero or less wastage stores (Try this finder tool to find one near you) or a farmers markets to ensure you are buying in the most eco-friendly way possible! As well as this, when planning or preparing your party snacks, make sure you have a plan for any leftovers that there might be at the end. Something that we have noticed is that everyone always puts out crudites in case anyone wants a healthy snack in between all the sweet treats but more often than not it’s the only thing left untouched at the end of the party. Instead of putting them in your fridge until they’re mouldy and need chucking, why don’t you make this Leftover Party Tray Vegetable Soup. This could be for the days after, or you could offer them to guests as they leave to make sure there isn’t any food wastage!  

We are all tempted to buy plastic cutlery and cups to avoid washing up but reusing plates and cutlery or purchasing some compostable tableware sets is a great way to not send more plastic waste to landfill. However, compostable tableware can sometimes be difficult to find, so here comes the age-old argument: paper or plastic? This is a difficult argument to come up with a real answer for. When you weigh up the energy used to make the item, the number of uses they will get, and if they can be recycled or just thrown away it really comes to a bit of a draw! Really it is up to you to make your decision but remember to dispose of whichever you get responsibly! When it comes to straws, use paper instead of plastic, or don’t use them at all if they’re not needed! 

Trick or Treating 

Whether you’re taking your kids out to trick or treat or expecting your house to be visited by trick or treaters, there’s a few ways you can reduce your impact on the planet when doing so. Don’t buy more than you think will get taken, or more than you think you’ll willingly eat yourself. When looking for sweets or chocolate, try and buy those that have a reduced or recyclable plastic packaging, or package the sweets in a reusable box or bag yourself ready for people to come and visit! If your kids are going trick or treating, instead of plastic buckets to take with them, why not decorate a canvas bag or a pillowcase for them to take! They can be reused year after year, and probably hold more sweets too! 

We are so excited to celebrate Halloween this year, and we can’t wait to see what you all get up to!

Tag us on Instagram in any photos or videos if you use any of our tips:
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