reBOOsable: 4 steps to a more environmentally-friendly Halloween
Like most parents, at Jill and Joey we have a love-hate relationship with Halloween.
Of course, we love dressing our kids up and seeing the fun they have exploring the local neighborhood and gathering candy. But keeping our kids safe and happy is also always a top priority .
And then there’s all the waste that comes along with Halloween.
Being a reusable product company, we’re constantly thinking of ways to make some of our favorite traditions more eco-friendly and sustainable.
With that in mind, here are four tips for making this Halloween a little more environmentally responsible.
1. Don’t be afraid to reuse or make your costumes.
Your kids want to be the latest and greatest superhero or princess or cartoon character. So, what do you do? If you’re like most of us, you go to the nearest Halloween or party store and buy the costume off the rack. Easy, right? The problem is that these costumes are often thrown away after one use. Nothing reusable about that.
So this Halloween, think about reinventing an already-used costume, swapping with a friend or sibling, or making your child’s costume out of materials you already have. Sure, it may take a little more effort up front, but the amount of waste you’ll be reducing is more than worth it. And if you do buy a costume, think about how you can extend its life by donating it after use to kids’ play centers, theaters, nursery schools, or anywhere else where kids like to play.
2. Rethink your home decorations.
Like costumes, DIY Halloween decorations are better for the environment--and a fun activity for you and your family. Instead of buying one-off decorations that are packaged in single-use plastic, consider being a little more creative this year. Do you have paper, cardboard, string, or other materials lying around the house that can help you make the ultimate haunted house? In the end, there’s nothing scarier than overusing plastic, so why not explore alternatives?
3. Think before you throw away your candy wrappers.
For obvious reasons, parents want to make sure the candy their kids are eating is safe. And, individually-wrapped pieces of candy are great for ensuring safety. Sadly, candy wrappers are often made of mixed materials, including plastic, that aren’t easily recyclable. So, when your kids (and you) eat this year’s candy, take a minute to understand what you can recycle (like tin foil in chocolate bars) and what you can’t. Companies like Terracycle accept these mixed material wrappers and hard-to-recycle materials and make them into new products.
4. Trick-or-Treat with reusable bags
We all remember those plastic orange pales we collected candy in as children. Sure they’re fun looking, but they’re also often made out of plastic and...who knows what else. And of course, plastic bags shouldn’t even be a consideration. This Halloween, consider using reusable bags for trick-or-treating. Cloth or canvas grocery bags (or even a Jill and Joey gallon-size reusable pouch?) work great for trick-or-treating. And when you’re done counting your kids’ candy, Jill and Joey snack and sandwich pouches are a great way to store (or hide) your kids’ goodies.
We hope you have a safe, spooky, and reusable Halloween! If you do happen to use your Jill and Joey Reusable Pouches for trick-or-treating or to store your candy, send us some pictures. The picture with the best Halloween costume might just win a prize.