Halloween is one of the most anticipated holidays of the calendar year—and for good reason!  For one day out of the year, it is accepted (and promoted!) to dress-up as somebody (or something) other than our everyday selves. Often, this involves investing in an ensemble that makes a brief nocturnal appearance and is then quickly discarded and forgotten. With just a little preemptive thought and preparation, though, this Halloween waste can be minimized (or even avoided altogether).

(I’m in love with these Jelly Bean costumes! Savvysugar.com)

Costumes can be constructed from wardrobe pieces that you already have or, that once acquired, can be used multiple times.  Perhaps one of the best uses of “old” children’s Halloween costumes is to simply keep them and allow the kids to use them as “dress-up” fodder year-round with accessories that can help the kid and  they can be find at https://bestbabyaccessories.com.  Encourage your children to dress up as princesses, ninjas, and cowboys through the week while they’re playing pretend.  Throw an impromptu afternoon tea-party and require your kids to come dressed-up as a make-believe character. A tub full of clothes and a tub full of accessories will store easily and allow for endless hours of entertainment on rainy days.

(Both of these adorable costumes would be perfect year-round dress-up fodder—buycostumes.com)

Another great option for retired costumes is the thrift-shop/hand-me-down philosophy.  Instead of trashing the goods, consider saving them for younger children (brothers, sisters, cousins, family-friends, etc.) or donate them to a local charity.  Not only is this a great money-saving option, but it reduces costume waste by giving an old costume new life. Inversely, this is a fantastic way to save money when looking for a costume—thrift shops, family members, and friends are all excellent, often untapped resources of second-hand costumes.

(Seriously—these costumes are too sweet to only wear once! Buycostumes.com)

Dressing up on Halloween is great—but why limit the fun to just an annual celebration?  Themed dress-up parties are a fantastic way to throw a birthday-bash, spice up weekend festivities, or unconventionally celebrate holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Valentine’s Day.  Costumes and accessories used in Halloween costumes can easily be repurposed for another charade!  Consider repurposing those zombie or pirate costumes and have a “living dead” themed birthday or a “swashbuckling Sunday fun-day”!

(How perfect is an UP! themed birthday party?? The Design Inspiration)

Repurposing Halloween costumes serves a plethora of benefits that extends well beyond the scope of October 31.  Dressing-up can be implemented in play-dates and birthdays to add extra pizazz.  Costume themed adult parties are popular within their own right, and give us another reason to bring out our ‘80’s hammer pants (like we really needed another reason).  Sharing accessories and outfits can extend the lives of costumes beyond the normal 6 hour stint, and in doing so, eliminate unnecessary landfill fodder.

Lydia Mondy  survived the trials in Salem.  When she’s not searching for eye of newt, you can find her writing about Halloween costumes and fondly remembering the 20s.

Photo Credit: Photo Pin & Creative Commons

Corgi walking on leash
People with dogs know the benefits of pet ownership. The unconditional love, trust and loyalty shown by your canine companions, coupled with their unbridled enthusiasm on your return home each day, is hard to put into words. These are the most popular and best dog hip joint supplements.

There’s another plus of having a dog by your side: It improves your overall physical and mental health. Here’s how.

Dogs get you moving
One notable benefit is that dogs force you to get up and move. One research study found that dog owners are more likely to report regular physical activity than people who don’t own dogs. Activities associated with dog ownership, like feeding, grooming, playing and letting them outside, all increase physical activity levels. Physical activity improves blood flow, induces muscle contraction and reduces joint stiffness.

Dogs also require regular exercise, and will greet it with smiles and wagging tails. In addition to a typical walk, you can work hiking and running into your outings with your dog depending on its breed. People who regularly perform aerobic exercise have improved blood pressure, reduced blood sugar levels, better controlled weight and a reduced risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Other studies have demonstrated that exercise can improve depression and anxiety.

Over time, exercise will help strengthen your muscles, bones and joints. You may notice that your usual route is feeling easier and decide to stay out longer or walk up that extra hill.

When selecting a new puppy or dog, carefully consider its energy levels and exercise requirements. It’s best when your lifestyle and activity levels match that of your canine buddy.

Dogs help your weight
Exercise burns calories and helps you maintain a healthy weight. In one study, adults who regularly walked their dogs were less likely to be obese than their nondog-owning neighbors. The same research found that dog owners also are more likely to report a healthy diet and blood sugar at ideal levels, which improves overall heart health. Walking for 30 minutes a day will reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, osteoporosis, colon and breast cancer, and Type 2 diabetes.

That 30 minutes of light-to-moderate dog walking also can help you achieve deeper, more restful sleep.

Health care professionals recommend adults aim for 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week.

Dogs promote social connection
Owning a dog has been linked to better mental health and a lower perception of social isolation, which can reduce the risk of heart attacks and cognitive issues. Being socially isolated is a strong risk factor for worse health outcomes and premature death. Dog owners interact more with other people, such as other dog owners and people they encounter on walks, and are less likely to experience depression.

For people who work from home, there are four significant ways pets can help with your mental health:
Reducing work-related stress.
Two out of three employees say work stresses them out, and 40% say their job gets in the way of their health. Pets in the workplace, even at home, reduce stress and improve employee satisfaction.
Managing anxiety.
With the increase in work-from-home jobs, more people are struggling with mental health. Pets can provide the companionship and support once found in the office.
Increasing activity.
Dogs give you a reason to go outside, breathe in fresh air and get some physical activity.
Combating loneliness.
The bond with pets helps people feel less alone. Owners can touch, see, hear or talk to their companion animals, which brings happiness, connection and physical contact.
There’s also research showing the benefits of animal-assisted therapy during rehabilitation for nervous system conditions, such as strokes, seizure disorders, brain trauma and infections. Dogs can be a valuable part of cardiac rehabilitation, occupational therapy and physical therapy programs. They can provide social support, and trained dogs can even participate in your rehabilitation or therapy sessions.

Big decision, win-win solution
Welcoming a dog into your home is a big decision, and you should carefully consider the responsibilities. However, you also should consider the many wonderful health and emotional benefits that come from of dog ownership.

The bottom line is that a dog can help you be more active and socially connected while improving your overall health. It’s a win-win solution — and doggone fun.

Next steps:
Find a cardiologist.
Start a walking program with your canine partner.
Consider training your dog for pet therapy to gain the dual benefits of connection and volunteering.

Halloween is coming up FAST! Need a last minute costume? Here are a few animal makeup ideas for your little critter. These are not only really creative, but  foster an appreciation of wildlife! They are also easily paired with some solid neutral colored shirts or sweaters. Make sure to use a brand of lead-free face paint, or make your own with our recipe.

Baboon

From Crafthours

Giraffe

Super easy! And the little hair buns double as an accessory. Tutorial from Daily Candy

Lion

Design from HGTV

Fox

This face paint is great with a red fluffy outfit or a suit and tie à la Fantastic Mr. Fox? Here is the video from Marvelous Masks.

For more makeup follow us at facebook.com/greenhalloween or Twitter @greenhalloween

by Corey

… We did make ‘em laugh.

Despite the truly incredible media storm surrounding the second annual National Costume Swap Day™ – with print, television, radio and online coverage in nearly every major market across the U.S. – we thought this year’s national coverage was likely over.

We were wrapping up as Happy Campers. We didn’t make Good Morning America (like we did last year) or another major morning show, but we were pretty darn over-the-moon about getting the word out about costume swapping via Real Simple, Family Circle and Kiwi magazines, MSN Money and many (many) more. Our goal of 100 registered swaps was blown out of the water with over 170 event registrations in the US and Canada. Some events were so successful that second and third swaps were planned for later in the month!

And although Halloween is just 4 days away, there are still more costume exchanges in the works.

But because the official National Costume Swap Day was actually on the 8th, we assumed (yes, I do know what this means), that there wouldn’t be any additional major PR coverage on this topic.

But last night came a treat.

Er, wait – a trick.

And I’m not sure we can call this “news” exactly, but as they say, “No PR is bad PR…”

“Environmentalism goes against everything Halloween stands for: Rampant consumerism and waste.” — Stephen Colbert

And (to quote another quote), “If you can’t laugh at yourself….”

We can definitely laugh at this one. At least it’s funny (unlike this wet blanket editorial).

(Stephen, just wait until you hear about what we’re doing with candy, face paints and decor!)

2010′s Green Halloween in NYC was a screamin’ success!

“Screamin’ Green Halloween” was hosted by Brookfield Office Properties at the World Financial Center in the Big Apple.

Eek-o-fabulous fun was had by all (6,000 guests in just 4 hours!) with recycled art, a costume swap, poetry reading, marching band, healthy/green goodies and more.

Here are a few of the fab photos (by photographer Andrew Federman) for more, click here.

And check out this HUGE promotion banner hanging for all to see!