6 Wickedly Simple Ways to Make Halloween More Sustainable

6 Wickedly Simple Ways to Make Halloween More Sustainable

Halloween doesn’t have to be a nightmare for the planet. Between plastic decorations, candy wrappers, and one-and-done costumes, the holiday can create some frightening amounts of waste. But with a few wickedly smart swaps, you can celebrate in style while keeping things eerily eco-friendly. From costumes to candy to décor, these six spook-tacular hacks will help you have a fang-tastic Halloween that’s as green as it is ghoulish.

1. Sustainable Decorations

You don’t need to splurge on new plastic decorations every year—there are plenty of natural and DIY options that are fun, creative, and eco-friendly! Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Go beyond pumpkins! Use seasonal foods like gourds, squash, dried corn husks, or apples, and incorporate dried flowers, twigs, and leaves to give your porch a cozy autumn vibe.

• Upcycle jars or bottles from your kitchen into festive lanterns or candles. Feeling extra spooky? Fill them with colored liquid and add “poison” or “witch’s brew” labels.

• Get crafty with black yarn to make spiderwebs on walls, or drape white sheets to conjure ghostly figures!

With a little creativity, your decorations can be frightfully fun and friendly to the planet.

2. Thrifty & Creative Costumes

Homemade costumes often steal the show anyway! Get creative with items you already have at home or use fully recyclable materials—cardboard works wonders if you want to become a robot, a Rubik’s Cube, or anything else your imagination dreams up.

Not feeling crafty? No problem! Try a costume swap with friends, dig through someone’s closet, or explore a local thrift store for unique secondhand finds. You’ll save money, reduce waste, and still look spook-tacular.

3. Mindful Treats

One of the easiest ways to reduce Halloween waste is by choosing candy with recyclable packaging. Many single-use wrappers are made from mixed materials that can’t be recycled—or even composted—leaving them to pile up in landfills or litter our streets.

The good news? Plenty of candy options are eco-friendly! Look for treats wrapped in 100% aluminum foil, like single chocolates, or in cardboard, like Junior Mints or Milk Duds.

You can also go big—literally! Buying candy in bulk reduces individual wrappers, and you can hand out goodies in reusable cloth bags or festive cardboard boxes for a fun, planet-friendly twist.

4. Host an Eco-Friendly Halloween Monster Mash

Throwing a Halloween party? Make it spooky, fun, and as close to zero-waste as possible!

Invite guests to rock DIY or thrifted costumes—bonus points if you host a contest for the most creative homemade outfit. Encourage them to bring food in reusable containers and take home any leftovers to prevent waste.

And don’t forget the “boos”! Set out clearly marked recycling bins for bottles and cans so everyone knows where to toss their empties. With a few simple tweaks, your Monster Mash can be a hit for both your friends and the planet.

5. Organize or Join a Halloween Litter Cleanup!

Halloween often leaves behind a trail of candy wrappers, stray decorations, and lost costume pieces. This year, you can turn the aftermath into a chance to make a difference by participating in a Halloween-themed litter cleanup. Put your costume on one last time and help tidy up your neighborhood after the festivities!

Even better, many communities are already hosting spooky cleanups, making it easy—and fun—to help the environment while showing off your costume one more time.

Find an affiliate near you to see if a cleanup is planned in your area.

6. Compost Your Jack-o’-Lanterns!

When the Halloween fun winds down, don’t toss your pumpkins in the trash—compost them instead! Composting turns your old pumpkins and gourds into nutrient-rich soil for gardens, helping the planet long after the holiday.

Every part of the pumpkin is compostable (just remove candles, paint, or decorations first—and beware: leaving the seeds in could give you a whole new pumpkin patch next year!).

No composting space at home? Offer to take pumpkins from friends or neighbors, or check if a local community garden or farm could use them. It’s a simple, eco-friendly way to give your jack-o’-lanterns a second life!

By the time the last piece of candy is gone and the jack-o’-lanterns flicker out, you’ll know you’ve had a Halloween that’s spooky, sustainable, and a little more magical for the planet. Whether it’s thrifty costumes, greener décor, recyclable treats, composted pumpkins, eco-friendly parties, or a post-Halloween litter sweep, every small action adds up. Want to keep the spirit alive all year long? Take the pledge to join the Greatest American Cleanup® and help keep your community looking boo-tiful. Head to kab.org/greatest to make your pledge—if you dare! 🎃👻