Posted in Halloween Parade

Have a Green Halloween!

Green Halloween

Have a Green Halloween!

Suggestions from the Sustainability Committee:

On Halloween, we all love to be a little spooked, but what’s really frightening is the estimated $5 billion dollars Americans spend on costumes, candy and decorations, much of which ends up in our landfills. So we’ve brewed up some tricks and links to help Park Slope residents put more green in their Halloween.

Costumes

Instead of buying pre-made plastic or vinyl costumes, browse thrift shops, flea markets, stoop sales or your own closets for inspiration.   That loud Hawaiian shirt, that poodle skirt, that tie-dyed tee, old bowling shirt or cowboy hat — they could all be the start of great costumes.  Swapping costumes and passing them down to younger children are also options.  There are many websites with ideas for homemade costumes — try www.robinsfyi.com/holidays/halloween/costumes.htm.

Masks

Instead of a plastic or rubber face mask, try non-toxic face decorating products.  Old eye shadows can create bruises, wrinkles and scars.  There are several recipes for edible fake blood on the internet.

Halloween Candy Containers

Instead of those plastic pumpkins, consider beach bags, old pillow cases, small wicker baskets or cloth totes; little girls can carry Mommy’s old purses.

Halloween Candy

Choose organic candy — candy made with natural ingredients, free of artificial flavors, colors and preservatives.   You can find them at major retailers like Whole Foods. Also, Trader Joe’s offers a line of organic lollipops.

Alternatives to Halloween Candy

Consider giving alternatives to candy such as miniature toys, temporary tattoos, sugarless gum, boxes of raisins, stickers, mini crayon packs, hair bows and barrettes (for girls), plastic bugs, trail mix or whistles.   

Halloween Candy Buy Back Programs

Help your child unload some of the Halloween candy that he/she collected.  Google “Halloween Candy Buy Back Programs + Park Slope” for programs near you.

Halloween Parties

Send electronic invitations instead of paper ones.  Rent or borrow glassware, plate ware and utensils rather than using the throw-away kind; or look for compostable utensils and plates.  Patronize our wonderful farmers’ markets at Grand Army Plaza, Bartel-Pritchard Circle and JJ Byrne Playground.  Food grown locally means less energy has gone into processing, packaging and transporting food to your table.

Leftover Pumpkin

Now that Park Slope is composting, be sure to fill your brown bin with all organic matter – that includes pumpkins. Or, bring it to GrowNYC’s composting collection site at the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket on Saturdays from 8:00am – 3:30pm.

Halloween 2016

Every October 31st for quite a few years, Kim Maier, a Trustee of the Park Slope Civic Council and head honcho at the Old Stone House, encourages the many creative people in Park Slope to do the best they can in  fashioning inventive Halloween costumes and sharing them with the community in which they live. Here – as “Law & Order” always says – are their stories!

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We are SO very indebted to Don Wiss, whose photographs he permitted us to use. He’s photographed the last 16 Park Slope Halloween events, and if you find the occasional photo in our 2016 slideshow hard to decode, try your hand at a 2002 one!

Here is a link to that treasure trove!

 

World Famous Park Slope HALLOWEEN celebration

hallo-15Join us for the annual Park Slope Civic Council Halloween Parade on Monday, October 31, 2016, kicking off from 14th Street and 7th Avenue at 6:30 pm. The parade will head north on 7th Avenue, turn left on 3rd Street and end in JJ Byrne Playground at the Old Stone House. There will be a costume contest and mini-parade on Sunday, October 30 from 3-5 pm at the Old Stone House from 3-5 pm. Thanks to our sponsors: Brooklyn Oak Dental, Park Slope 5th Avenue BID and the Park Slope Chamber of Commerce!

hal-sponsers

Have a Green Halloween!

Have a Green Halloween!
Suggestions from the Sustainability Committee

On Halloween, we all love to be a little spooked, but what’s really frightening is the estimated $5 billion dollars Americans spend on costumes, candy and decorations, much of which ends up in our landfills. So we’ve brewed up some tricks and links to help Park Slope residents put more green in their Halloween.

Costumes
Instead of buying pre-made plastic or vinyl costumes, browse thrift shops, flea markets, stoop sales or your own closets for inspiration. That loud Hawaiian shirt, that poodle skirt, that tie-dyed tee, old bowling shirt or cowboy hat – they could all be the start of great costumes. There are many websites with ideas for homemade costumes – try www.robinsfyi.com/holidays/halloween/costumes.htm

Masks
Instead of a plastic or rubber face mask, try non-toxic face decorating products. Old eye shadows can create bruises, wrinkles and scars. There are several recipes for edible fake blood on the internet.

Halloween Candy Containers
Instead of those plastic pumpkins, consider beach bags, old pillow cases, small wicker baskets or cloth totes; little girls can carry Mommy’s old purses.

Halloween Candy
Choose organic candy – candy made with natural ingredients, free of artificial flavors, colors and preservatives. Consider Revolution Foods Yo’ Drops, Plum Kids Organic Fruit Straws, Honest Kids Organic Juice Boxes and Yummy Earth Organic Lollipops. If you buy bulk candy, buy local to support Park Slope businesses! Don’t forget to recycle the candy wrappers.

Alternatives to Halloween Candy
Consider giving alternatives to candy such as miniature toys, temporary tattoos, sugarless gum, boxes of raisins, stickers, mini crayon packs, hair bows and barrettes (for girls), plastic bugs, trail mix or whistles.

Halloween Candy Buy-Back Programs
Help your child unload some of the Halloween candy that he/she collected.  Google Halloween Candy Buy Back Programs + Park Slope for programs near you.

Halloween Parties
Send electronic invitations instead of paper ones. Rent or borrow glassware, plate ware and utensils rather than using the throw-away kind; or look for compostable utensils and plates. Patronize our wonderful farmers’ markets at Grand Army Plaza, Bartel-Pritchard Circle and JJ Byrne Playground. Food grown locally means less energy has gone into processing, packaging and transporting food to your table.

Leftover Pumpkin
Now that Park Slope is composting, be sure to fill your brown bin with all organic matter – that includes pumpkins. Or, bring it to GrowNYC’s composting collection site at the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket on Saturdays from 8am – 3:30pm.