Bring the folded ends of the strips up and glue them to the top circle. Before closing it up all the way, bring the inner tabs up and attach those to the top circle to make your pumpkin shape. Then finish closing your lantern by attaching the last couple of outer strips. While they make a big scene, inflatable decorations use unnecessary electricity, can contribute to noise pollution, and if not stored properly, get holes in them which lead right to the landfill.

As the bewitching season approaches, it’s the perfect time to conjure up some eco-friendly magic for your non-plastic decor. Personally, I want my sustainable Halloween decorations to not only haunt in style but also leave a minimal environmental footprint. Even though it may not be possible to completely get rid of all plastic, I want to do what I can to at least reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in our environment… Zero-waste Halloween decorations and upcycled Halloween decorations made from materials you already have at home can significantly reduce waste and contribute to a more sustainable holiday. How do you decorate for Halloween sustainably? Optionally, you can paint the outside of the glass bottles in Halloween-themed colors or designs to enhance the visual appeal of the candle holders. Below, I’ve gathered up some awesome ideas for low-waste and zero-waste Halloween decorations from some really creative stylists. In a few cases, I even came up with some ideas myself, but I’ll mostly give credit where credit is due (i.e. not me). Wait.. Zero Waste Halloween Decorations? For more Halloween-specific decorations, try to repurpose. Ghosts made from old sheets and bats made from nylons and old hangers might just be a perfect way to reuse things that are worn out, and the internet has tons of ideas for easy DIY plastic-free decorations. Secondhand HauntsHalloween decorations can indeed have environmental impacts, particularly if they are not sourced or disposed of responsibly. For starters, many Halloween decorations, especially cheap ones, are made from single-use plastic. Plastic production contributes to pollution, resource depletion, and ocean contamination.

There’s a reason why ghosts wear old sheets! Many Halloween costumes are produced in time for the holiday, worn once and then thrown away. A 2019 study by environmental charity Hubbub and the Fairyland Trust found that the UK produced over 2000 tonnes of seasonal plastic waste (about 83 million plastic bottles’ worth) from costumes and fast fashion brands. Now, that’s scary. Cut four shorter strips of paper and glue them around the circle on top of the larger strips. (These tabs will be on the inside of your lantern and will hold it down so that your lantern is actually a sphere instead of a narrow tube!) Take whatever material you’re using for your stuffing and put it into the section of the sweater arm.At its worst, Halloween can produce a lot of waste: single-use candy wrappers, cheap costumes, and shoddy decorations that end up in landfills or as litter just days after they’ve left the store. Arrange the twigs in a circular shape to form the wreath base. Alternatively, you can use a cardboard cutout as the base. Looking for more eco-friendly Halloween decorations? Use old items like clothing, sheets, or cardboard to create DIY decorations using the ideas outline above. Just over 2,000 tonnes of extra plastic waste are created every Halloween in the UK. While costumes are the main cause, the other main culprit is Halloween decorations – from lights to plastic and inflatable characters around your garden and home. Most of these are put up once, then binned when November rolls around. These fabric scrap ghosts not only make adorable decorations but also exemplify the creative reuse of materials in a sustainable Halloween setup!

Fill the glass container with soil, providing a suitable foundation for your mini Halloween landscape. Reusing soil or using composted soil aligns with an eco-friendly approach.

If cost and space is an issue, choose plates and napkins that are made of paper or other natural materials and provide a labelled compost receptacle. Avoid items that are labelled compostable but have linings, as they are typically meant to be commercially composted, and most waste facilities do not have the infrastructure to actually compost them. Be sure to provide reusable cups, or request that guests bring their own cups to avoid throwing away hundreds of plastic cups. For foil wrapped candies, provide a labelled bowl or container where guests can deposit the wrapper for recycling. Attending events Allow the wreath to dry completely, and then hang it on your door to welcome Halloween visitors with a festive and eco-friendly touch. Collect clean and dry glass bottles of various shapes and sizes to repurpose for an eco-friendly Halloween decoration. Secure the twigs in place using jute twine or natural twine, wrapping it around and tying knots to ensure a stable wreath structure. Venture outdoors and gather an assortment of leaves, choosing a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes.

Cut a section of the arm out of the sweater. (You may want to cut smaller or larger sections out depending on how large you want your pumpkin to be.) To keep October 31 st feeling as wholesome as pumpkin spice, aim for a zero waste Halloween. While it’s hard to achieve a completely waste free Halloween experience, it’s amazing how close you can get while still being festive and celebrating in style.An estimated 2,000 tonnes of plastic waste– equivalent to 83m bottles – is generated from throwaway Halloween clothing sold by leading retailers in the UK each year.