iStock/Nestea06
I love Halloween. It’s fang-tastically fun and fosters neighborhood bonding. But this holiday also creates a frightening amount of waste.
Here are a few simple ways reduce any horrifying heaps:
- Candy wrappers do not belong in the recycling bin. Don’t get spooked by hard-to-recycle items. Try a specialized recycling service such as Ridwell or Terracycle.
- Most decorations cannot be recycled. That includes any giant skeletons and all micro-plastic, glittery items. List them in your local Buy Nothing group to keep them from haunting your trash.
- Compost all-natural décor. All those pumpkins and jack-o’-lanterns can be returned to the earth. Bring your gourds to Edina’s annual Pumpkin Smash & Bash.
- Shop secondhand, or swap costumes. Yes, you may be the ghostess with the mostest, but you don’t need that coffin of costumes you won’t wear again.
Grab your wands, and let’s brew up a greener Halloween.
Twila Singh is the City of Edina’s organics recycling coordinator.
