We’re well into Autumn, now, what with Halloween being this weekend. Most people don’t realize it, but this time of year is a key for practicing being ecofriendly with all the parties and festivities going on! Why not celebrate this colorful time the green way? Get the whole family involved and start planning now. Here are few ideas:

1) Throwing a Party – Send out invites via evite.com to cut down on paper. Host the party the pot luck style and reduce the waste of bags, cans, plastic, and paper plates. This also saves you money on food (remember the 3 Rs). Provide beverages in a punch bowl, served with glasses, to reduce bottle waste. Make homemade candy, rather than passing out store brought candy that can leave a long trail of wrappers. This also reduces the clean up time, perfect for busy families everywhere!

2) Trick or Treating – Buy reusable buckets, bags, or pillow cases. These items are eco-friendly and can hold more candy. Save gas and sneak in some exercise by staying in your neighborhood to collect goodies. Get your creative juices flowing and try designing costumes with unused items in the house or patching up old clothes for a unique style. It beats buying new costumes from year to year. In 2008, the National Retail Federation’s Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey predicted Halloween spending to reach 5.77 billion dollars. This year, try something new!

3)  Host a Neighborhood Cleanup – Let’s face it, no matter how much you put into your green efforts, not everyone will follow suit. But their environmental reluctance doesn’t have to result in negative repercussions for the whole community—not if everyone pitches in! After the Halloween and other parties, plan a cleanup team.. Invite the kids to help, this will teach them about community service and give them another chance to see their friends.

Still unsure what you should be this year for Halloween? Green is the way to go!

(Image Source: ursispaltenstein.ch)