As the leaves turn and Halloween approaches, classrooms across the country are gearing up for trick-or-treat fun. But with all the excitement comes a lot of waste: from plastic decorations to single-use costumes and sweet wrappers.
This October, let’s keep the spirit of Recycle Week alive by making Halloween more sustainable. Here simple and creative ways to reduce waste in your classroom and inspire students to think green.
1. Host a costume swap at school or in your local community
Encourage children to bring in old costumes to swap with classmates or create their own using clothes they already have at home. Charity shops are full of fantastic outfits at this time of year, so they’re a great place to look for something fun and sustainable too!
Check out our World Book Day costume swap guide, where the same principles apply!
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2. Get busy making sustainable Halloween decorations
Skip the shop-bought plastic and get crafty with what you already have. Try making bat garlands from scrap paper by simply cutting out bat shapes and stringing them together to decorate windows or walls. If you are feeling inspired, check out this website for excellent ideas on sustainable Halloween craft.
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3. Rethink trick-or-treat treats
Consider bulk-buying sweets and handing them out in paper bags or reusable containers instead of individually wrapped plastic ones (which cannot be recycled!). You could even explore homemade treats which can rule out waste entirely.
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4. Compost your pumpkins
Pumpkins are a Halloween staple, but millions go to waste each year. If you’re carving pumpkins, save the seeds for roasting or planting and put the rest in your food waste recycling bin. We’ve got lots of lessons to educate your students about food waste, composting and more. Check out our free lessons on our Education Hub.
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If you are in need of a compost bin at home, click on your relevant borough below to find out more!
Halloween doesn’t have to be scary for the planet. With a little planning and creativity, you can turn it into a celebration of sustainability that your students will remember.