Scary Stats: How To Reduce Your Impact

It’s that spooky time of year again! Halloween is all about fun, creativity, and indulgence, but it also leaves behind a significant environmental impact. From costumes to lolly wrappers and decorations, here’s how you can celebrate sustainably without compromising on the festive spirit.

Did you know?

• Each person is estimated to spend an average of $93 this Halloween, meaning Australians will spend $450 million this year. (Roy Morgan Research, 2024).
• 49% of people plan to purchase a Halloween costume, 39% are stocking up on lollies and chocolate, and 36% are decorating for Halloween (Roy Morgan Research, 2024).
• Around 70 billion pieces (How crazy is this!) of soft “scrunchable” plastic, including food wrappers, are used annually in Australia, and only 13% is recycled (Australian Government, 2021).

Costumes

Instead of buying a brand-new costume that will be worn once, consider these sustainable alternatives:

• Shop Secondhand: Check out stores like Fakebook Marketplace, Depop, Vinnies or other thrift stores for secondhand costumes. You’ll find unique, affordable options and prevent more textile waste from going to landfill.
• DIY: Get creative and make your own costume using old clothes, fabric scraps, or items you already own. You could even host a costume swap party with friends and family!

(Green Matters, 2020)

Lollies

Halloween lollies often come wrapped in plastic, which contributes to generating more single-use plastic that will (scary) stay on our planet way longer than us! This Halloween opt for lollies in more eco-friendly packaging:

• Choose candies that come in paper or foil packaging. 
• When buying for your own household/friends, buy in bulk and use your own reusable containers to cut down on single-use packaging.
• Support brands that focus on fair-trade and sustainably sourced ingredients, such as organic chocolates or lolly companies committed to reducing waste.
• DYO! Explore options that can be homemade, like cookies, brownies or even candies!

Decorations

Instead of buying new plastic decorations every year, try these sustainable options:

• DIY Decorations: Make your own spooky decor from recycled materials or things you already have at home. For example, old sheets can be turned into ghost decorations, and cardboard boxes can be used to create tombstones or bats.
• Reuse: Reuse your Halloween decorations year after year. Store them carefully, and they’ll last for many Halloweens to come.
• Natural Elements: Incorporate items like pumpkins, leaves, and branches into your decor. Unlike synthetic decorations that end up in landfills, these can be composted afterwards.

(Bellevue College, 2014)

Have an awesome Halloween, from the Seabin Foundation Team!

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Reference List

Australian Government. (2021). National Plastics Plan summary. DCCEEW. https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/protection/waste/publications/national-plastics-plan-summary#:~:text=One%20million%20tonnes%20of%20Australia’s,and%20only%2013%25%20is%20recycled

Bellevue College. (2014, August 28). Green your Halloween! https://www.bellevuecollege.edu/sustainability/2013/10/01/green-your-halloween/

Green Matters. (2020, October 30). 5 zero-waste Halloween ideas to make for a sustainable celebration. https://www.greenmatters.com/p/zero-waste-halloween-ideas

Roy Morgan Research. (2024, September). One in five Aussies will get into the Halloween spirit. https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/one-in-five-aussies-will-get-into-the-halloween-spirit

55 Homemade Halloween Treats to Celebrate Spooky Season
https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g1194/halloween-treats/

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