Is Halloween The Most Wasteful Holiday? (PHOTOS)

Here at HuffPost Green we love a party... and Halloween is definitely a fun holiday. But as the tradition becomes increasingly consumer-oriented, we think its in the running for the most wasteful holiday. While Christmas always gets ragged on for its consumerism, hopefully most of the gifts that are given are used more than once. Even if Halloween spending is down this year, Americans are still spending millions of dollars on mostly unsustainable, single-use and non-biodegradable products and unhealthy candy. That's why we think Halloween may be a sleeper candidate for excess day of the year. Check out this slideshow of the most wasteful Halloween practices, and vote for the one that you think is the worst.

Check outGreen Halloween, a website that advocates for a "greener" Halloween by posting information on homemade costumes and party favors. Besides encouraging parents to have a less wasteful holiday, they also sell a range of green products including fair-trade organic chocolate, energy-saving LED lights, 100% silk or alpaca costumes, and of course, reusable, non-plastic trick-or-treating bags.

Also, bring out your camera this Halloween and send us your pictures of the most wasteful Halloween moments - from morning-after trash to a smashed pumpkin, we'd love to see your photos.

Send us your photos of Halloween fun gone totally wasteful.

Halloween Excess

 

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Heaps Of Candy

Enough candy for a princess, but she'll only be a princess for one night. Wrappers are necessary for safe candy on Halloween, but a total waste of paper and plastic. Plus, it will take a year for this girl to eat all that candy!

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Quick Poll

Is Halloween the most wasteful holiday?

Eh, a bit wasteful, but so fun!

Christmas is WAY worse.

YUP. Halloween is an anti-green machine.

Halloween is awesome. Stop being Grinches!

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Comments

[hdohighdesertobserver]

I don't think 'holiday' is the right word. It's certainly an occasion, but just because it's an occasion doesn't mean it's a holiday.

[jozzie]

The human species has honored the de@d around this time for tens of thousands of years. It is the time of year when the Pleiades are at their highest point in the sky. Who knows why this has signaled to our ancestors that this pertains to the de@d, but maybe it's because it's a major sky marker just after harvest festivals or before the onset of the cold.

Anyway, we're total denial babies for honoring the Day of the De@d with candy. But maybe it's rather ironic, since sugar will surely ki// us at those consumption levels. Are we trying to tell ourselves something? That we're children eating up the world in ways that are de@dly?

[SamKnause]

Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. It is the one day out of the year that you can pretend to be anything, or anyone you want. I love the decorations, and especially the decorations that talk and move. I love the candy with a hot cup of coffee. I love all the scary movies on TV during Halloween. I love the weather at the time of Halloween. I love to use pumpkins, gourds, and squash for decorating. I love Halloween, what's not to like? This year their will be a full moon on Halloween. That should add to the spookiness.

[SangZe]

Why not wash yer own clothes, like grandmaw did!

[jozzie]

The human species has honored the dead around this time for tens of thousands of years. It is the time of year when the Pleiades are at their highest point in the sky. Who knows why this has signaled to our ancestors that this pertains to the dead, but maybe it's because it's a major sky marker just after harvest festivals or before the onset of the cold.

Anyway, we're total denial idiots for honoring the Day of the Dead with candy. But maybe it's rather ironic, since sugar will surely k*ll us at those consumption levels. Are we trying to tell ourselves something? That we're children eating up the world in ways that are deadly?

[mikebarden]

Well, it keeps the witches employed. And in this economy, that's a good thing.

[marymansour]

Somehow Halloween is so unappealing to me this year. My mom died in August. I've never been crazy about a holiday based on the idea of death and horror.

[Macready]

I love halloween . . . I always loved it . . my first costume was a devil costume . . . I loved it .. was not happy when I grew out of it . . . loved the candy, etc

Halloween and Thanksgiving are think are the best holidays . . .because they are full of laughter . . christmas dah oh ah . . now that is painful

[KIVPossum]

I liked halloween when it was a time for kids to dress up, go out, have fun, and get some free candy.

Then it evolved into a night of drunken debauchery for adults.

Now I LOVE it.

[suzjazz]

Is this serious?
Kids (and adults) aren't allowed to have fun, dress up in costumes and eat candy for one night a year without being made to feel guilty for "excess?" What about all the wrapping paper that goes into landfills after Christmas and every time someone has a birthday, which is every day?

Silly string is an abomination, but there is nothing specifically Halloween about it. It's used on many holidays (such as July 4--which, by the way, injures hundreds of people every year with fireworks--how's that for waste?) And throwing eggs on people's property is not a Halloween tradition: it is simply vandalism.

Jack o' Lanterns are organic matter and deteriorate into compost and soil. What's not green about that?
Costumes? Come on. Theaters use costumes. Are they wasteful?

I think this article was written by someone who is afraid that somewhere, someone is having a good time.

[seattle music]

Zaktly.

"Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy."
-- H. L. Mencken

[Chloe33]

Agree -- great points.

[Virgil Kane]

Yes it is very wasteful. There are too many kids running around. Couples should only be limited to one child and only if they pay a carbon tax to cover that child. There should be no candy or pumpkins that are bought for the holiday. Pumpkin farms are wasteful. if you want one, grow your own. Instead of candy, veggies should be given out. Lights on front porches should not be left on, rather candles should be lit or rick or treating should be completed prior to sun down. Costumes should not be bought, rather home made out of everyday clothes.

By taking all these simple steps we could all do a lot to save our planet before it is too late. We must implement this right away because we only have 4-5 years left before climate change becomes irreversible.

Oh wait, we don't know if Halloween is still on in Denver due to the 12 inches of snow on the ground.

[GulfCoastGreenie]

I compost my jack-o-lanterns after Halloween.

Will you this year?

Answer the Twitter poll: http://twtpoll.com/s677yw

[NWBrunette]

Most Wasteful? That would be Christmas by a landfill.

[seattle music]

You betcha!

[Macready]

you are so right about christmas NWBrunette . . .

[truthartbeauty]

No, christmas is

[Russycle]

Oh please. Dog costumes? Yeah, they're filling up our land fills.

Crowds? Let's outlaw sports events and parades while we're at it. And Mardi Gras. No concerts, either.

Candy wrappers? Candy in wrappers is sold year round. Yes, Halloween is probably the peak, but give me a break. It's not like stores aren't selling over-packaged crap the other 364 days of the year. Can we talk bottled water?

Yes, pumpkins are a waste, but at least they're biodegradable.

I'll give you the disposable costumes, they have no redeeming qualities.