Donate
Facebook Instagram Youtube

Plastic Free Halloween Tips & Tricks

Annual holiday consumption plays a role in the growing single use plastic problem. When Halloween comes around, we may think of PVC costumes, plenty of glitter, candy wrappers, and one time use decor. 

There are always ways to make sustainable choices, even when it comes to celebrating holidays! Read on for a few tips & tricks to make “Plasticween” less scary for the planet! 

Photo by Kim Thompson. She’s been bringing her grandchildren to Porter Beach since they were small, picking up plastics and other trash from our Lake Michigan shoreline. 

This message was inspired by our friends at Beyond Plastic. Thank you for everything you do to keep our waterways clean, our bodies healthy, and our planet safer for generations to come! 

Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle

Costumes

Try to avoid buying new costumes in one of those last-minute trips to the seasonal Halloween stores that pop up like mushrooms in October. These costumes are cheaply made, and are almost always made entirely from plastic.

Instead, plan ahead and visit your local thrift store to find the key elements you need to make your own costumes. Most thrift stores also have pre-loved costumes for sale and you may find a great ready-made costume that way if you start looking early enough. You can also try to borrow either a whole costume or the key elements you need to create your own from a friend or family member. I’ve found that social media can be a big help in crowdsourcing costume ideas, entire costumes, or just certain “ingredients” for them.

Likewise, if you have costumes your kids have outgrown or that you’ve grown tired of, snap a few photos of them and invite your friends to use them this year. Hopefully, they’ll return the favor and you can all save some time, money, and material from the landfill this way.

Decor

If you want to deck out your house, go for it! But do your best to steer clear of single-use and cheap plastic items that are likely to end up in the trash after a single use. Fortunately, nature makes a gorgeous line of non-toxic, fully compostable Halloween decorations in the form of pumpkins and other decorative gourds along with hay bales, reeds, and ornamental corn.

Trick or Treat

Candy is the trickiest (pun intended) place to avoid single-use plastic as many Halloween favorites come wrapped in impossible to recycle combo foil and plastic wrappers or just straight up plastic wrappers, all of which will end up in the trash or littered on the ground in your building, neighborhood, or town. Here are a few suggestions for ways to avoid plastic wrappers.

-Choose candy in small cardboard boxes (milk duds, junior mints, dots)

-Give out money, gift certificates, or craft items/toys.

Indiana Wildlife Federation: Orders may be placed online now through April 1st for Spring delivery. Your order will be conveniently delivered right to your door, shipped the second week of June

More Details on thier website

Create Less Waste

When you’re carving pumpkins, going apple picking, or making festive recipes, try and use everything! 

Think roasted pumpkin seeds or apple cider vinegar, which are both made from “cast offs”.

Kitchen scraps are also compostable. Check out our partners at Porter County Recycling, who have been running a compost service. Free & open to all. 

Shutdown Impacts at Indiana Dunes

The federal government is currently experiencing a shutdown, which means that many government operations, including staffing at national parks, are extremely limited. At Indiana Dunes National Park, this has direct impacts on park services and visitor support.

During the shutdown, you can expect:

  • National park staffing will be minimal – only enough to maintain health, safety, and resource protection
  • Roads, trails, and beaches will remain accessible to the public
  • All national park education and volunteer programs are canceled during the shutdown
  • The Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor’s Center will remain open
  • Other park buildings and restrooms are not guaranteed to be open
  • The Indiana Dunes State Park will remain open during the shutdown

If you do visit the park, your actions matter more than ever. For more detailed tips and guidance for visiting responsibly while staff and services are limited, please check out our blog.

Read Our Blog to Learn More

The Indiana Dunes Need You

The Indiana Dunes are facing growing challenges that threaten their health and future. At Save the Dunes, we’re working to support and protect the park during this critical time—but we can’t do it alone.

Donate Today to Help Defend the Dunes

Your support powers local action to protect this national treasure now, and for future generations to come.

Donate Today
Purchase Your National Park Pass
from Save the Dunes!

Save the Dunes is now selling National Park Passes! Your Pass allows you to access any and all Indiana Dunes National Park beaches, trailheads, and parking lots while enjoying the beauty of the Indiana Dunes and beyond. 10% of funds from passes purchased through Save the Dunes will go directly to supporting our mission.

Email or call us at 219-879-3564 to schedule a time to purchase your pass at our office at 444 Barker Road, Michigan City. Or come see us at any of our in-person events! 

Pass Options:

  • 7-Day Indiana Dunes National Park Pass — $25
  • Annual Indiana Dunes National Park Pass — $45
  • Annual America the Beautiful National Park Pass — $80
Email Us

Or click anywhere else to continue to our website

Happy #GivingTuesday!

Today is all about Getting Involved and Giving to the organizations you hold near and dear to your heart. We hope you will consider making Save the Dunes one of the organizations you support this year!

Your gift will be matched today thanks to our matching donors, Mark J. Mihalo D.D.S. Family Dentistry; CLH, CPA’s & Consultants; and Nancy Moldenhauer & Sharlene Livesay.  

Will you join their generosity by supporting Save the Dunes this Giving Tuesday?

Help us reach our goal of $8,500 by donating today!

Donate Today