Post by account_disabled on Feb 20, 2024 3:34:01 GMT -5
Sustainable halloween Halloween is the spookiest time of the year. However, as you prepare to send shivers down the spines of your friends and family, you may not have given much thought to the environmental footprint behind this holiday. In the UK alone, more than 8 million pumpkins are thrown away each year during Halloween. This equates to about 18,000 tons of wasted pumpkins that could have been consumed. However, it can be celebrated without harming the environment . Here we share tips for sustainable Halloween, according to The Conversation . 5 tips for sustainable Halloween Halloween has become a commercial cash cow, with store shelves packed with plastic costumes, electronic and disposable decorations, and bags of plastic-wrapped candy, most of which will eventually end up in landfills once the festivities are over. . Without further ado, these are the tips to spend a responsible Halloween: 1. What to do with your pumpkin Carving pumpkins isn't just a problem due to food waste: a lot of resources (including truck fuel and fertilizer) go into producing the mountain of pumpkins used during Halloween. If you plan to carve a pumpkin this year, be sure to throw it in a food waste container. Pumpkins that end up in landfills emit methane as they decompose. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. A better approach may be to forgo the whole pumpkin thing altogether. Instead, consider investing in a reusable decoration (preferably one that isn't made of plastic) or create your own spooky creation with something you already have around your house to place outside your door. But if you still want to experience the fun of carving a pumpkin, you can take advantage of it by baking a pumpkin pie, toasting its seeds in the oven, or simply roasting pumpkin wedges as a savory snack (even the skin is edible). sustainable halloween.
Reduce the purchase of new products The stores are packed with Halloween decorations. However, many of these decorations (from cackling witches to vampire bat lights) are electric. Manufacturing these products consumes substantial resources, including endless amounts of copper wiring and some of the rarest materials on the planet, such as lanthanum, an element found in modern televisions, energy-saving lamps, and optical lenses. When these decorations are thrown into the trash, they contribute to the growing electrical waste crisis. In 2019, the global generation of electrical and electronic waste amounted to about 54 million tons, which is equivalent to about 7.5 kg per person. This generation rate is expected to increase significantly in the future. So consider Chile Mobile Number List whether you really need to buy a new product. You may find that you already have enough to transform your home into a haunted house. Christmas lights, for example, could work as a spooky addition to your Halloween decor. You may also have other old pieces that you can turn into something suitably spooky. Old dolls can be given eerie new clothes made from scraps of fabric (although they can be quite creepy on their own). And the bottles can be filled with water and a few drops of food coloring to make a collection of witches' brews. sustainable halloween 3. Get rid of single-use plastic We all like to be able to hand out candy to trick-or-treaters.
Candy is usually individually wrapped in plastic. Many single-use plastics are not recycled, and because plastic does not decompose naturally, it can remain in the environment for hundreds of years. Instead of plastic-wrapped treats, consider purchasing something wrapped in paper. If you have time, maybe you can prepare some treats yourself to hand out. sustainable halloween 4. Make your own costume Most of the Halloween costumes you can purchase are made of plastic. In fact, research by Hubbub, an environmental charity, found that around 83% of the materials used to make the seasonal suits available in 19 UK supermarkets and retailers were plastic. These suits not only contribute to the accumulation of plastic in landfills, they are also a source of harmful microplastics. These tiny plastic particles have been found almost everywhere, including in water sources, marine life, human bodies, and now even clouds. Even if you don't throw away the costume, every time you wash it, tiny plastic fibers are released from the fabric. Ultimately, these fibers reach the environment through the wastewater system. So ditch the plastic wig and see what you already have. Old clothes can be torn to give you the appearance of a creepy zombie. And while it may be an old standby, everyone has an old sheet somewhere that can be used as a ghost costume. 5. Less is more Sustainability means leaving the world in such a way that future generations can enjoy a quality of life as good as ours. A crucial element of making this future a reality is using only what we need rather than too much. So when making decisions about how to have a happy Halloween, think before you consume.
Reduce the purchase of new products The stores are packed with Halloween decorations. However, many of these decorations (from cackling witches to vampire bat lights) are electric. Manufacturing these products consumes substantial resources, including endless amounts of copper wiring and some of the rarest materials on the planet, such as lanthanum, an element found in modern televisions, energy-saving lamps, and optical lenses. When these decorations are thrown into the trash, they contribute to the growing electrical waste crisis. In 2019, the global generation of electrical and electronic waste amounted to about 54 million tons, which is equivalent to about 7.5 kg per person. This generation rate is expected to increase significantly in the future. So consider Chile Mobile Number List whether you really need to buy a new product. You may find that you already have enough to transform your home into a haunted house. Christmas lights, for example, could work as a spooky addition to your Halloween decor. You may also have other old pieces that you can turn into something suitably spooky. Old dolls can be given eerie new clothes made from scraps of fabric (although they can be quite creepy on their own). And the bottles can be filled with water and a few drops of food coloring to make a collection of witches' brews. sustainable halloween 3. Get rid of single-use plastic We all like to be able to hand out candy to trick-or-treaters.
Candy is usually individually wrapped in plastic. Many single-use plastics are not recycled, and because plastic does not decompose naturally, it can remain in the environment for hundreds of years. Instead of plastic-wrapped treats, consider purchasing something wrapped in paper. If you have time, maybe you can prepare some treats yourself to hand out. sustainable halloween 4. Make your own costume Most of the Halloween costumes you can purchase are made of plastic. In fact, research by Hubbub, an environmental charity, found that around 83% of the materials used to make the seasonal suits available in 19 UK supermarkets and retailers were plastic. These suits not only contribute to the accumulation of plastic in landfills, they are also a source of harmful microplastics. These tiny plastic particles have been found almost everywhere, including in water sources, marine life, human bodies, and now even clouds. Even if you don't throw away the costume, every time you wash it, tiny plastic fibers are released from the fabric. Ultimately, these fibers reach the environment through the wastewater system. So ditch the plastic wig and see what you already have. Old clothes can be torn to give you the appearance of a creepy zombie. And while it may be an old standby, everyone has an old sheet somewhere that can be used as a ghost costume. 5. Less is more Sustainability means leaving the world in such a way that future generations can enjoy a quality of life as good as ours. A crucial element of making this future a reality is using only what we need rather than too much. So when making decisions about how to have a happy Halloween, think before you consume.