Created by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources with permission from Green Halloween®.

What do you think? (We guess the title gives away OUR opinion…)

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.

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Who doesn’t love infographs? Especially infographs on our favorite holiday! We hoped some information were as eye-opening to you as it was to us. Here are some additional information/commentary that we’ve gathered here after reading this graph and combining the stats from our very own GH powerpoint:

Approximately 598 million pounds of candy is sold each year during the Halloween season which accounts for a total of $1.52 billion in sales! That’s a lot of candy AND money! What’s more exciting is over the past 5 years, organic and all-natural products have experienced an increase in sales (between 18% to 25%) year after year even with the downturn of the economy. With an influx of consumer interest in Green Halloween, we know that more moms are making more greener and healthier choices for their families and that mentality carries over to holidays as well. Keep up the good work ladies!

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.

October is creeping closer and closer and I know households are prepping for another exciting year of Halloween. What do people think of when it comes to Halloween? I bet it’s the color orange, pumpkins, loads of candy and a howling night of fun where kids roam the streets in their favorite costumes of ghosts, witches and monsters! What most people don’t take into consideration is the fact that safety is a huge part of Halloween as well. Sure you can have a wonderful time, but be mindful of everyone’s safety as well! Below are some safety tips that are eco-friendly (no brainer coming from Green Halloween) for Halloween this year.

General Safety Tips:

1. Hand-powered flashlights: Straight from the Green Halloween marketplace. These adorable animal-shaped flashlights are an absolute must when you head out to trick-or-treat with your loved ones. No batteries are necessary so it’s environmentally friendly. Plus you have a light to shine on dark places when necessary!
2. Drivers driving on the night of Halloween should pay more attention to the roads than normal. This is a night where kids roam the streets freely. Even though they are supervised, still pay extra care and drive slowly in neighborhood streets.
3. It’s important to have fun but it’s even more important to know where your kids are. Set a curfew if your older kids are trick-or-treating with a group of friends. Stay connected with them via phones throughout the night. If they do not have cellphones, give them sufficient amount of change so they can use public phones to call home if needed.
4. Set a designated area for your kids to trick-or-treat if you are not going with them. Go over the route before Halloween so they know where they can go and where they cannot go.
5. Tell your children about the basic rules of obeying traffic. Always walk on sidewalks, even if the streets are empty of cars. Make note to take heed of the roads, and always always double check at crossroads and intersections for incoming traffic.
6. Accompany your children while trick-or-treating. If you cannot make it, make other arrangements (older siblings, guardians, neighbors that you know) so your children can go along with adults they are familiar with.
7. Wear bright-colored or light-reflective costumes so you are easily spotted.
8. Make sure costumes are flame retardant.
9. Avoid masks that obstruct vision.
10. If there is no sidewalk, always walk on the left side of the road.
11. Avoid houses with no lights on.

Trick-or-Treating/Candy Safety Tips:

1. Always trick-or-treat at the front door. If children are unsupervised, make sure to tell them to not enter a stranger’s house for candy.
2. Tell your kids to bring all the candy they collected home so you, the parent, can inspect them before consumption. Also, inform them not to accept any candy that are not in wrappers.
3. Feed your kids a hearty and healthy meal prior to trick-or-treating activities so they won’t be tempted to eat the candy before checking for tampering. Plus they’ll need the energy!
4. When in doubt, throw it out!
5. Teach your children to eat 2-3 pieces of candy at a time in order to prevent tummy aches.

For more ideas and information regarding safety on Halloween, please click here for a very handy and comprehensive list of links and resources! If you have tips that you feel are missing from the list, please let us know by email or comments via this post. We’re eager to hear new ideas from our readers for a safe and fun Halloween!

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.

We have a lovely guest contributor, DeeAnna Soicher, this week about where to find perfect re-loved costumes from your local Goodwill!

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By shopping at the Goodwill this Halloween season you can support a wonderful organization and dress up in an amazing pre-loved costume.

This entire outfit came from a Goodwill store in the Denver area.

Adore the outfit…..Love the price!

• Long Sleeved Shirt-$4.99
• Yellow Floral Dress-$6.99
• Top Apron Dress (NWT)$6.99

I found all of the items in the women’s section.

Atticus Finch contemplates the fate of Tom Robinson…the jury deliberates.

He can wear this suit for any special occasion, and since kids seem to grow out of dress clothes after one wearing, re-donate to Goodwill and pick up another good looking outfit!

Laura Ingalls Wilder

My model loved the outfit so much she kept it to wear to school. She looks amazing!

Pair this outfit with cowboy boots for a casual look or dress shoes for a more formal look.

We wanted to showcase some “costumes” that can be worn again and again and then re-donated for the next lucky kid.

Think green this Halloween and re-love a costume from Goodwill!

www.ThriftingDenver.wordpress.com

www.ALittleJunkInMyTrunk.blogspot.com

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.

This week on Halloween Crafts Roundup, we’re featuring two women with a flair for esthetics and expansive creativity! First is Pamela of French Knots, a blog dedicated to food and crafts (we love both!). Next we have Laura Fisher. Laura is a textile artist, clothing designer and the owner of Baisebeige Studios. Her fashion line is devoted to the Green movement and creates pieces that are friendly to the planet and humanity.

Spooky Halloween Garland

This lovely Garland concept is created by Pamela of French Knots will surely spruce up your living space on Halloween. Directions are located here and the materials needed are normal day items so it’s super easy to make. If you aren’t feeling the “spooky” garland, you can substitute other Halloween-themed words. Or perhaps, make multiple Garlands with different wordings to string around your home as unique decorations!

Polka-dot Pumpkins

While browsing through Pamela’s blog archives, I found this little gem of a Halloween decoration. We all know pumpkins are iconic for Halloween, and many households either crave Jack-0′-lanterns or place pumpkins of various sizes outside to spice up the atmosphere of fall and Halloween. Pamela took this Halloween staple and gave it a twist! Polka-dot pumpkins will definitely stand out from the rest of the crowd.

Decorative Masks

Laura of Baisebeige Studios created these one of a kind decorated masks out of salvaged textiles. Since she’s a designer, making these masks is a second nature for her. She has a special affinity towards Halloween because she discovered people generally are more adventurous and willing to try something new during this festive holiday. Through her various crafts and projects, Laura hopes to inspire and teach others that wonderful things can be made from discarded objects. This craft is targeted for young teens but children could also decorate these masks by drawing or gluing objects or cutouts onto them. Step by step directions can be found here.

We’re constantly on the lookout for more craft ideas to add to our weekly roundup. If you have an idea or a suggestion, please do not hesitate to leave a comment or email us! We’re looking forward to hearing from you.

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.