Sustainable Halloween: Could it be a Trick or an Actual Treat?

A sustainable Halloween is one treat that many are eager for. After all, if the trick is getting the most enjoyment out of something that benefits the environment, then wouldn't that be a treat?

In the US, Halloween is now on par with Christmas in terms of spending, preparation time, and waste.

In 2021, Americans spent roughly $10.14 billion on Halloween, and it is predicted that they will spend $10.6 billion this year, as per Investopedia. The typical partygoer will spend $100 on candy, decorations, and a costume.

According to the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, the United States produced more than 2 billion pumpkins overall and harvested nearly 66,200 acres of pumpkins in 2020, yielding over 1.5 billion pounds of usable pumpkins.

Pumpkin-Filled Landfills

Halloween in general is a significant problem, according to Aaron Hiday, coordinator of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy's (EGLE) compost program, even though pumpkin waste is only a short-term problem.

Hiday said that Halloween has an impact on the environment beyond just the organic waste generated by people.

In addition to the surplus of pumpkin, costume, and candy packaging waste, Hiday noted that most consumers purchase new costumes or pails rather than recycling their old ones.

Food Waste Problems

According to Hiday, Halloween waste is merely the tip of the iceberg in terms of how much food Americans throw away each week.

Food intended for humans makes up about 30% of all landfill waste, and 40% of all produced food is disposed of in landfills. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, methane is more potent at warming than carbon dioxide, which is why experts are concerned about overflowing landfills with food and organic waste.

Hiday made the point that this warrants more attention.

Pumpkin Endeavors

Illinois led the country in pumpkin production last year with 652 million pounds, followed by Indiana with a production of 181 million and California with 157 million. The Michigan Ag Council places Michigan fourth in the country. The state's pumpkin and squash output were worth $146 million, USA Today reports.

Sustainable Halloween

Practicality. Instead of purchasing a new costume this year, think about DIYing an old one into a brand-new one. Buy recyclable, high-quality ornaments rather than those made of inferior materials.

Carving Pumpkins. But using peppermint is a less well-known way to naturally preserve a pumpkin that has been carved. According to a post on A Few Shortcuts, carving pumpkins can be kept fresh so that mold won't grow on them by preserving them with a tablespoon of peppermint dishwashing liquid or peppermint essential oil diluted in a quart of water.

Preserving Pumpkins. Food safety educator Wade Syers with Michigan State University provided tips for the easiest and safest ways to preserve a pumpkin. Syers advises freezing pumpkins because pureed pumpkins cannot be safely canned in any way, including pumpkin butter, mashed pumpkin, or puree.

Pumpkin preservation techniques are also provided by the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Because jack-o-lantern pumpkins are generally more stringy and watery, pie pumpkins are usually easier to preserve.

Composting Pumpkins. After sufficient decomposition, pumpkins can be composted and used in the lawn or the vegetable garden.