Have a Baby Gizmo Green Halloween!

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Tip #1:  Make Your Own!

No need to buy new! Make the costumes out of things around the house.  It’s not only creative but a fun way to celebrate the season. Here is how we made a zebra costume with a black hoodie, pair of black sweatpants, white duct tape and some craft foam.

No time to create your own? Swap costumes with the neighbors.  Most people have costumes from previous years they would love to swap for different ones. Everyone wins!

Tip #2:  The Pumpkin is All Good

Use all the pumpkin!  Head to the pumpkin patch to grab a great one but make sure you use all the pumpkin.  What better way to celebrate Fall than with pumpkin bread, roasted pumpkin seeds, etc. and then compost the rest of the pumpkin.

Ways to use the entire pumpkin:

1. Fleshy Insides: Use the fleshy insides to make a pumpkin purée that can be used in any pumpkin recipe or to make a DYI face mask because it is rich in zinc and vitamins A, C and E. (Pumpkin Purée: after cutting your pumpkin in half and scooping out the seeds and guts, place cut-side down in a baking dish in a cup of water and bake for 90 min.  Scoop out flesh and purée in a food processor.)
2. Guts: Use the stringy pieces (guts) that surround the seeds to make a pumpkin stock for adding flavor to foods. After removing the seeds, take the stringy pieces and boil in a pot of water for 30 min. Strain the pumpkin pieces out and use the broth as pumpkin stock to add flavor to food.
3. Seeds: Roast the seeds with a dash of salt for a tasty snack.
4. Whatever remains – make sure you compost it.

Tip #3:  Instead of Disposable – Choose Re-usable!

Instead of disposable Halloween fun – choose re-usable!  Halloween themed mealtime favorites such as plates, cups and utensils are better for Mother Earth if you choose the ones that you can use year after year and not the paper choices that end up in a landfill. Pottery Barn Kids currently has some great kids Halloween plates that are made of melamine and eco-friendly bamboo.  So, not only are they re-usable year after year but they are eco-friendly.   

Tip #4:  Organic Candy

Choose organic candy and limit the treats per little ghost or goblin.  Instead of handfuls, hand out one or two per child. Organic candy examples: Yummy Earth organic lollipops, candy drops and gummy bears. (Available at Whole Foods or at http://www.yummyearth.com)

Tip #5:  Treat Bags

Instead of buying a treat bag – make one.  Pillowcases and reusable, canvas, grocery bags make great treat collectors! 

Here’s how you make an adorable, glow-in-the-dark, spider web trick-or-treat bag:

1) Take a reusable, canvas bag (the ones you can buy for about a buck at grocery stores or craft stores) preferably black.
2) Draw a big spider web with glow-in-the-dark puff paint on one side. Puff paint can be purchased at your local craft store such as Michaels.
3) Glue fake spiders all over the web.
4) On the other side – let your child decorate with glow-in-the-dark puff paint whatever they want to make it their own.

If you are set on buying a new one, start a tradition with a reusable trick-or-treat bag that your kids use year after year! 

Tip #6:  Party Green

Throwing a Halloween Party?  Why not bob for organic apples and recycle the party waste?

Tip #7:  Light up the way with a shake not endless batteries! 

Instead of using up battery after battery, give your child a flashlight that is powered by a shake.  It not only saves batteries but when the holiday is over store the flashlight in your car the rest of the year in case of emergencies.