Trick or Treat!
Hope you all had a great Halloween!
The holiday is arguably one of the best times of the year. Not only is it unique, but it has some cool backstory behind it. Did you know that Halloween is a tradition that originated with the ancient Celtic festival when people would light bonfires and wear scary costumes to ward off ghosts? Pretty cool!
However, as much as we love Halloween, there are some lurking, hidden secrets that negatively affect the environment with one of these secrets being concealed in that innocent piece of candy sitting in your trick-or-treat bag. So prepare for a spook!
Costume Pollution
We all know that this was going to come up!
One of the scariest things about Halloween is the amount of trash produced during this one time of the year. According to New York Times, more than 60% of fabric fibers are now synthetics (meaning that they are derived from fossil fuels). This means these costumes will not decay if they wind up in landfills which is where approximately 85% of textile waste in the U.S. goes. Even if these fibers settle somewhere else, the same situation will inevitably arise.
To make things worse, about 7 million costumes are thrown away every year which is equal to 83 million plastic bottles! Not to mention that some costumes contain toxins. To avoid potential exposure to these toxins look for costumes labeled “PVC-free” or “phthalate-free”.
Cosmetic Pollution (Part I)
Not only do we wear costumes, but many of us put on makeup as a way to compliment or enhance our costumes. What this results in is a makeup consumption skyrocket around Halloween.
Not only is the consumption of makeup harmful for our environment, but it is also harmful for our furry friends (e.g. mice, rats, rabbits, and guinea pigs). Don’t get me wrong, all of these animals make awesome little pets and come with great personalities! So how can cosmetics be harmful for these animals you may ask? The answer is that one thing these animals have in common is that they are commonly used for cosmetic animal testing (which is not required by law but some companies choose to regardless) with the Humane Society International estimating that 100,000-200,000 animals suffer and die every year.
Cosmetic Pollution (Part II)
In these cosmetic tests, these animals suffer through evaluations for signs of toxicity. This can lead to severe damage to the animal or death. Even if these animals do survive, they are killed due to researchers wanting to eliminate potential external variables from previous testing that can affect the next round of testing. Not only that, but the data gathered won’t guarantee everything. This is because the physiology of these animals and the human body are too different as their reactions to the cosmetic products could be completely different from ours.
Decorational Pollution
Similar to costumes, decorations carry a negative effect through pollution due to them being made of, usually, cheap and non-recyclable materials that will not decay after disposal, ultimately contributing to environmental pollution. Plus, our favorite candles and tea lights can contain petroleum-based paraffin which can release harmful chemicals when lit.
We also can’t forget our fellow animals as well. Many animals, such as our birds and even our own pets, can get tangled up in decorations which can result in injury, strangulation, starvation, dehydration, and even death. Make sure to clean up your Halloween decorations to minimalize the implications Halloween can bring!
Food Pollution
What is the one food -or fruit, I should say- that pops up in your mind when you hear Halloween? Chances are, it is a pumpkin!
As much as I love pumpkins, it cannot be denied that they are harmful to our environment. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. yields about 1.4 billion pounds of pumpkins every year with some inevitably ending up in the trash bins after Halloween. To top things all off, it takes a lot of resources and fertilizer (which we talked about its negative effects in Agricultural Pollution) to grow a single pumpkin.
Candy anyone? (Part I)
Ok, technically this one falls under “Food Pollution” but I teased it in the introduction so I think this is deserving enough to get its own special section (Plus, candy is one of the best inventions ever).
Focusing on the negative aspects of candy, there is a dark secret it is keeping which I am going to reveal to you right now... The dark secret that is packed away into these sweet tooth relievers is that it contains unsustainable palm oil. Dun dun dunnn! I know, this is really scary.
Candy anyone? (Part II)
Palm oil is nothing new. It is practically everywhere when it comes to food and can be found in about 50% of products sold in supermarkets. So what makes it so bad? According to NationSwell, palm oil is “cheap to ship and produce” but it comes with the cost of greenhouse gas emissions which can cause deforestation through the act of burning forests for palm oil plantations. In 2019 alone, 800,000 acres of land have been burned to make way for palm oil plantations -damaging wildlife such as tigers and orangutans in topical nations- while releasing massive amounts of carbon pollution (a greenhouse gas). In addition, individually wrapped pieces of candy can end up in water sources, contributing to the millions of tons of debris already floating around in oceans.
What can I do?
I can’t end a blog without mentioning some ideas as to how we can reduce pollution and not to mention ending on a negative note! Below is a list of what we can all do to create a happier and healthier planet:
Costumes: Wear reusable costumes and if you have outgrown them, try handing it down to a family member or even a friend if they like it!
Cosmetics: Reuse Halloween makeup or the “normal” makeup instead of buying new ones for specifically Halloween every year!
Decorations: Remove decorations as soon as possible to lessen the chances of some decorational equipment going missing (such as those fake spider webs).
Food Pollution: Purchase smaller or mini sized pumpkins. They are not as big but they make it up for cuteness! (Yes, I find mini pumpkins cute).
Candy (technically food pollution): Avoid purchasing individually wrapped candy to reduce plastic waste.
I hope this blog didn’t scare you too much. This wasn’t meant to stop anyone from enjoying Halloween. It was meant to be informative and to raise awareness of how we all can contribute to a healthier planet. I hope you all learned something new and as always, make sure to stay safe and healthy!
Citations:
[1] Diem Trinh More posts from Diem Trinh, and Diem Trinh. “How Much Waste Does Halloween Produce?” The Stute, https://thestute.com/2021/10/29/how-much-waste-does-halloween-produce/.
[2] “Doughnut Companies to Stop Using Unsustainable Palm Oil.” NationSwell, 27 Apr. 2015, https://nationswell.com/dukin-donuts-sustainable-palm-oil/.
[3] Fricker, Post author By Peter. “Make Sure It's a Safe and Happy Halloween for Animals.” Vancouver Humane Society, 5 May 2020, https://vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca/posts/make-sure-its-a-safe-and-happy-halloween-for-animals/.
[4] History.com Editors. “Halloween 2021.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 18 Nov. 2009, https://www.history.com/topics/halloween/history-of-halloween#:~:text=The%20tradition%20originated%20with%20the,of%20the%20traditions%20of%20Samhain.
[5] “Pumpkins: Background & Statistics.” USDA ERS - Pumpkins: Background & Statistics, https://www.ers.usda.gov/newsroom/trending-topics/pumpkins-background-statistics/.
[6] “A Scary Ingredient in Your Halloween Candy Is Destroying Rainforests and Harming Wildlife • The National Wildlife Federation Blog.” The National Wildlife Federation Blog, 24 Feb. 2020, https://blog.nwf.org/2019/10/a-scary-ingredient-in-your-halloween-candy-is-destroying-rainforests-and-harming-wildlife/.
[7] Schlossberg, Tatiana. “How Fast Fashion Is Destroying the Planet.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 3 Sept. 2019, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/03/books/review/how-fast-fashion-is-destroying-the-planet.html?.%3Fmc=aud_dev&ad-keywords=auddevgate&auth=login-google1tap&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtrSLBhCLARIsACh6Rmj3lk-gxGpjS7hmwmnPy7xg3p_xGfp6mB7P8ie3wTyAqjBRiPuvTmAaAk9GEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&login=google1tap.
[8] Zuazua, Rebeccah, and Photo by Madison Michelle. “Cosmetic Animal Cruelty: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.” FINE Homes and Living, 21 July 2021, https://www.finehomesandliving.com/featured/cosmetic-animal-cruelty-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/article_22f3191b-8ef2-50a6-962a-c540748a9b43.html.