It's Halloween! Create spooky memories, not waste

You know what’s actually scary? Our local landfill is only a few years away from being full and the waste generated from Halloween is frightful! Check out our best tips help you, your family and your friends create memories and not waste.

At the bottom of the page are some resources that will link you to more comprehensive guides and searchable databases for how to recycle.

Why ghost your budget when you can haunt your friends’ closets? Swap, rent, or thrift for boo-tiful costumes. Sunshine Coast’s buy-and-sell forums and thrift shops are crawling with fang-tastic finds. Don’t be shy — share your gently used outfits before they vanish into the night!

Get crafty with spooky scraps! Old clothes, cardboard, yarn, and paper can be transformed into eerie-sistible costumes and decor. Egg cartons make creepy spiders, and twigs are broomsticks just waiting to fly off the shelves.

Before your jack-o’-lantern turns into a mushy monster, give it a second life! Sugar pumpkins are gourd-geous in pies and soups, and roasted seeds are a real treat — no tricks. If it’s past its prime, compost in your backyard or in your green bin at the curb. Check out these tips for a wildsafe halloween.

Check out our page on reducing food waste for tips on planning a meal with less waste.

Skip the plastic and go for goodies in recyclable packaging. Smarties, raisins, and foil-wrapped treats are fang-tastic choices. Or conjure up mini paper treat bags filled with popcorn or bulk candy. Want to be the apple of every trick-or-treater’s eye? Hand out whole fruit — it’s un-boo-lievably wholesome!

Halloween recycling isn’t much different from year round. Sort as you go, follow a helpful guide at www.scrd.ca/recycling-depots or use the SCRD Collects App on your smart phone and search what goes where.

Skip plastic decorations, paper decorations are fully recyclable at your local depot click here for a list of party recyclables (includes piñatas too!)

Stumped About Gift Giving? Let’s Branch Out! Thinking about something expensive – don’t go it alone — team up with mutual friends to chip in for a gift that’s tree-mendously awesome but a bit pricey solo.

Gift Cards: The Present That’s Always Present Not sure what to wrap up? A gift card is never a card-inal sin. Better yet, offer to go shopping with them — because memories are the real gift that keeps on giving.

E-Book It Before You Regret It! If your friend’s got an e-reader, skip the paper chase and send them a digital page-turner. It’s a novel idea that saves trees and shelf space — talk about a plot twist!

Children’s parties can generate a lot of garbage in a short period of time. Check out these great party planning guides for ideas on how to have a memorable birthday without the one-time use plastics and without the on emphasis stuff and instead on enjoying the party. 

Green Child Magazine https://www.greenchildmagazine.com/eco-friendly-birthday-party/ 

PBS Parents http://www.pbs.org/parents/birthday-parties/tips_post/green-birthday-party/ 

Parents.com https://www.parents.com/fun/birthdays/themes/eco-friendly-party/ 

Resources

More tips and tricks can be found at:

Love Food Hate Waste dedicated holiday tips website linked here.

Metro Vancouver started it, create memories not waste best ideas linked here.

RCBC has guides for gift giving, decorating and more linked here.

Recycling

There is so much that is recyclable, save landfill life by checking what’s accepted. Visit www.scrd.ca/recycling-depots for where and what’s recyclable.