Hello again one and ghoul!
Like we said in last month’s challenges; the orange pumpkins, red bloodstains, purple velvets and glittering blacks of Halloween are finally upon us – and now we’re introducing some Green Swaps to it, too. Because even in the scariest month of the year, there is nothing more terrifying than inflicting irreparable damage upon our very Earth. A home we all share, living and undead, alike. A witches cabin in the woods cannot survive deforestation. Zombie’s can’t slumber in polluted soil. Think of your poor local werewolf, unable to transform because he can’t see the full moon through all the smog! We’re not just here to heal the planet for us normal human people, but also for the paranormal, the supernatural, the inhuman, immortal beings who live – and die – alongside us. This month, it’s our eco-ween.
So you spooky someone’s, ready to get green-fingered, green-fanged, green-clawed? Yeah? Super! That’s the spirit.
A human’s eco-ween
Spooky season is a national treasure trove. Made of bones and bugs and foam machetes, covered in fake blood and plastic fangs and sweet wrappers still sticky with half eaten treats. And that might be the scariest part about it; the damage left in its wake.
Just because it’s the day of celebrating the dead, it doesn’t mean we have to further contribute to the death of the planet. Halloween can and should be a sustainable celebration. And with these spooky swaps – it will be:
- Costumes: buy second hand. Wear them more than once. Rent one. Make your own. Swap with your friends.
- Decorations: reuse ones from the years prior. Scour the charity shops. Reduce the amount of plastic ones you purchase. Create your own. Recycle them.
- Pumpkins: buy from local farmers. Use the innards you’ve scooped out to make soup. Roast the seeds. Stick any waste in the compost or feed it to the chickens.
- Trick or treating: recycle sweet wrappers. Use the same bucket from last year! Make your own treats to divvy out. Share. Save. Don’t waste.
As Green Eco-Friend said:
“Refuse – Reduce – Reuse – Repurpose – Recycle – Rot” (the “rot” applying to composting food, not the mouldy flesh of your zombie pals).
It’s the season of craft and creation, of reuse and recycle. Don’t leave your old items out for the dead, immortalise them by using them again. Dust off the ageing decorations, they’re not for the graveyards just yet.
You see, hurting the planet is frightful. Healing it is delightful. This Halloween, opt for the latter.
A vampire’s eco-ween
Now that we’ve got the crusty ol’ human stuff out of the way, it’s time to talk to the ancient inhabitants of our Earthly realm. I mean the Drac’s, the Stefan’s, the Edward’s of the planet. Give us a toothy-fanged smile, vlads. This one is for the vampires.
You might not be a mortal being, but you can be a moral one. Think:
- Feeding on nasty people! Thieves and murderers and people who throw their takeaway rubbish out of a car window whilst they’re driving. You know. Those of that ilk.
- Waste not want not – do not spare a drop. The more pints you get out of a single person, the less you people have to capture and drain. And the more to share around the coven.
- Donate blood (it doesn’t have to be yours).
A werewolf’s eco-ween
It’s a waning crescent moon on Halloween night, with just 1% of the moon illuminated. That gives you werewolves plenty of time in advance of the next full moon to prepare for eco-ween. Cast your mind back to our animal instincts themed green swaps from August. These are just your run-of-the-mill pet-owner swaps; but on steroids.
- Muzzle yourself the night before. Sure, you’re a vegetarian 28 days out of 29. But then the moon is full and your feral belly feels empty as you take on your wolf form, nipping at all manner of nature’s best creations. If you muzzle up in advance, you’re sparing many a squirrel’s life.
- Save your shedding. Some canine’s shed seasonally, others shed all year round. I imagine you’re more of a “full-body shed beneath the light of a full moon” wolf. Well, once you’ve returned to human form, head back to your transformation site and collect up all your stray strands of fur. Make a pile for the birds to use in their nests. Help the nature you might have tried to take a bite out of the night before.
- Use eco-friendly dog poop bags to clean up after yourself!
- Don’t wear clothes when you transform – it’s unnecessary waste. Think of all the cargo trousers and woolly jumpers (does this make you a wolf in sheep’s clothing?) shredded to pieces as your bones bend, your skin stretches, your claws pierce through? Save your clothes. Go naked. Stop single use fashion.
A zombie’s eco-ween
I’ll keep this one short, because I imagine you brain-eating folk don’t have much of your own brain capacity for much else:
- Donate all the remaining organs of your victims. They could save lives.
A ghost’s eco-ween
Well, polterguys and ghouls, I imagine you’re pretty seasoned in the sustainability of your own spectral plane, but when it comes to this Earthly one, there are still a few pale green swaps you can attempt:
- Use recycled bed sheets. Why waste a new sheet to outline your invisible form when you can use recycled one? The stains add to the spook!
- An act of poltergeist kindness. If you’ve perfected your poltergeist tricks, then every once in a while try to use them for friendly-ghost purposes, like picking up litter in between haunts.
- Boo loudly whenever you see a worldly injustice. Use whatever remains of your voice to speak up about the things that need to change.
Oh! And a little shout out to Bonfire Night:
Burning Guy Fawkes on the 5th of November annually has become quite the beloved tradition. We’ve come full circle since the days of burning witches at the stake; now we’re setting a religious bloke alight whilst only 6 days prior, we dressed as witches worldwide to parade around the streets on All Hallow’s Eve. And then we get another spooky celebration days later! Bonfire Night is great; sparklers, toffee apples, fireworks. Gatherings with your favourite people in thick coats beside dazzling bonfires. But. You need to remember, remember, on the 5th of November, we’re actually damaging the environment.
Bonfire Night is not eco-friendly. Firework displays release harmful chemicals. The loud explosions distress pets and nearby wildlife. Marine animals find the debris and think its food, harming them when ingested. Bonfires affect air quality – and hurt hedgehogs. There’s also a whole heap of waste from the non-recyclable materials we enjoy the festivities with.
However, there is a way to celebrate sustainably. Here are just a few:
- Invest in low-noise, fewer-chemical fireworks
- Use ground based fireworks like spinning wheels to prevent the distribution of their waste
- Buy eco-friendly sparklers!
- Only use natural materials in the bonfire
- Collect spent fireworks and packaging
- Try eco-friendly sky lanterns
And there you have it, you coven of creatures. Your spooky season swaps. Happy Halloweeeeeeeeeeen! Have the time of your afterlife.
