Going Zero Waste during any holiday is tricky but Halloween is especially challenging. The fun quickly turns into trash.
Here are some simple tricks to help reduce waste but don't procrastinate, DIY takes time.
COSTUMES-
DECORATIONS
This is the easy part. Fall is the harvest season filled with natural beauty. Pumpkins, corn stalks, gourds. If you want a bit more, invest in quality items including wreaths, bunting and treat bags that can be used for years. My best advice is to have a Halloween box filled with reusable decorations, favorite books and most importantly memories.
TRICK OR TREATS
It's helpful to limit the number of houses you visit. Planning an after party can help with the transition. The after event can be a special video or family game with a big bowl of popcorn and fresh cider. Instead of playing "Old Maid" switch it up to a Halloween theme. Have your family make the cards together. A fun memory is to use old Halloween photos for the pairs. Yes, this takes time but if you have your Halloween box it's worth it and your deck can grow each year.
REFUSE
Simply refuse some items including all cheap plastic ones that have an interest span of seconds but a life span of centuries.
Pass out natural items. A bowl of polished stones, rocks or shells is exciting. Coloring sheets, puzzles or candy packaged in cardboard including Dots or boxes of raisins.
You need to start early for your DIY Zero Waste Halloween celebration. It takes time to collect materials and craft. You might also need time to set and manage your children's expectations.
Let's take the truly scary out of Halloween- the trash and still have fun.
Summer is the time to DIY with herbs and vinegar is an easy way to save summer in jars. Make infused vinegars for salads but also try making an herbal vinegar hair rinse.
Simply pick or buy some of your favorite herbs, pack into a clean mason jar, fill with vinegar and let steep in a cool, dark-ish spot for a few weeks. Strain, rebottle and label. Be sure to label- I always think I'll remember what I've picked or made but months later there I am sniffing to try and determine exactly what's in the jar.
An Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) Rinse is a great addition to your natural hair care routine. Rinsing with ACV is super nice when you are making the transition to shampoo bars because it helps to keep your hair at the proper pH level. We highly recommend an ACV rinse if you are new to shampoo bars. And if you've been using shampoo bars for awhile, chances are you've found the perfect bar for your hair type and you don't want to switch around. ACV rinses can help "clarify" which is simply getting rid of product build up.
There are lots of benefits of rinsing with ACV including-
It's easy to make your own Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse. In general, you can use any type of vinegar but apple cider vinegar is the popular choice. A natural unprocessed vinegar will give you the "mother"- full of bacteria, nutrients and enzymes. When you're ready to use the vinegar on your hair put some in a spray bottle and dilute with water. How much depends on your hair type, in general 1/4 vinegar for dry hair and 1/2 and 1/2 for oily.
There are many herbs which are beneficial to your hair. Our favorites include rose petals, rosemary, chamomile and calendula petals. Pour your vinegar into a glass jar add your herbs, fresh or dried. Place in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks, shaking and admiring occasionally. Strain to remove all the herb bits and pour back into your clean glass jar. Remember to dilute before use.
It's fun and relatively easy to make your own ACV hair rinse and it's a great way to use garden herbs. But for busy folks who want a high quality natural hair rinse filled with our own Maine island flowers try our handcrafted Herbal Vinegar.
And remember always be a Goldilocks and experiment to find the right combination for your unique hair.
Simply pick or buy some of your favorite herbs, pack into a clean mason jar, fill with vinegar and let steep in a cool, dark-ish spot for a few weeks. Strain, rebottle and label. Be sure to label- I always think I'll remember what I've picked or made but months later there I am sniffing to try and determine exactly what's in the jar.
