FOR A GREENER HALLOWEEN

Green Your Halloween

Nina Ford, October 2012 (Green America)

“When Corey Colwell-Lipson took her two daughters trick-or-treating in 2006…she noticed that the girls were excited whenever they had an opportunity to collect treats that weren’t conventional candy…That was the beginning of Colwell- Lipson’s quest to “green” Halloween…Today, Green Halloween® has evolved into a national movement…[Over 5,000 people participate in the World Financial Center’s annual Screamin’ Green Halloween in New York City and over 100 zoos and aquariums across the US have expressed interest]…

“Colwell-Lipson started Green Halloween in part because of what she calls “the health epidemic and declining well-being of our children” caused by poor eating habits. One out of every three children is overweight, and the same number is expected to develop diabetes in their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)…This Halloween, Colwell-Lipson encourages families to give out healthier treats and non-food “treasures” to trick-or-treaters…”

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“Whenever Colwell-Lipson attends Green Halloween events, she brings a poster board about [recycled, natural, or sustainably sourced] alternatives to candy, from polished stones and seashells to temporary tattoos and friendship bracelets—with surprising results…For those who want to give out more traditional treats, there are many organic and all natural options—from organic and Fair Trade chocolate [without child labor ties] to sustainable chewing gum…

“…[T]he six billion-dollar-a-year holiday leaves room to cut back. Families can save by giving out one or two healthy treats instead of handfuls of candy…[For the] 41 million children [that] go trick-or-treating nationwide…Green Halloween has spearheaded National Costume Swap Day since 2010…[Because] six out of the ten products…[contain] at least one of the toxic heavy metals…Terra Firma Cosmetics offers natural, lead-free face paint…Pink Quartz Minerals, featured on Etsy.com, has handmade, vegan face paint…[or] create homemade face paint from food-grade ingredients…”

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