However, the Halloween season is unfortunately a huge contributor to plastic pollution; in 2019, The Guardian reported that 2,000 tons of plastic waste from Halloween clothing alone was likely to be discarded. So, how can we ensure we are celebrating sustainably this October?

A pumpkin feast!

When carving your pumpkins this year, make sure to keep hold of the seeds after hollowing out the inside. This way, you can plant the seeds and grow your own pumpkins for the following Halloween season! The Royal Horticultural Society offer advice on their website on how to grow your own pumpkins.

In addition, once Halloween is over, if you do not wish to keep the flesh for your own baking ventures (BBC Good Food offer a yummy pumpkin pie recipe!), then ensure you dice up your pumpkin remains and leave them out for wildlife. Many wildlife species will appreciate this gesture as they are fattening up for winter, except for hedgehogs! 

Pumpkin is not a good dietary source for hedgehogs and can lead to health issues. Therefore, ensure when leaving any pumpkin produce outside to leave it elevated, e.g. on a box or table, and out of hedgehog reach!

Alternatively, it is also suitable to compost your pumpkin waste, find our guide to composting here.

DIY Halloween costumes

As mentioned above, most of plastic pollution this time of year is a result of mass costume production and waste. Why not get creative and DIY a costume this year? Another option is to have a costume swap with friends or family and see what they having hiding in their wardrobes from previous years! Purchasing clothing from charity and second-hand shops is another great way of giving clothing a new life this Halloween and incorporating pieces into a costume.

Ditch the plastic decorations

Websites such as Pinterest offer lots of inspiration for DIY Halloween decorations using recycle materials that you are likely to already have lying around the house. Not only will you be saving money, but it also is a fun activity to get the whole family involved with!

Sustainable sweet treats

Whilst we are all hoping for treats over tricks this year, we must be aware of the harmful impact of plastic sweet wrappers that often pass through the recycling process and end up in landfill. If you are planning on handing out sweets and confectionary to trick-or-treaters this year, why not try and make it sustainable? Perhaps consider purchasing your Halloween confectionary from companies such as Handy Candy, whom pride themselves on saying no to plastic waste, and offering plastic-free packaging.

Stay safe and have a spectacular (and sustainable) spooky season!

By Grace Brady
Volunteer contributor