Scared Some things are scary. Ghosts, goblins, vampires and bats. And some things are really scary. Genetically modified foods. Toxic face paint. Insane piles of garbage. And then there is the combination of all of these things into one frightening event:
Halloween
The Guide To Making It Less Spooky Content, product testing and layout by Borden Communications + Design
Don't spook
our kids & our planet Halloween produces more boos, eeks, screeches and ding dongs than we should tolerate. In an attempt to make sure our kids don't hate us, and our neighbours, family and friends don't ridicule us (although some of us may have gotten used to this by now), this guide will hopefully provide useful suggestions, and inspire others to have a less scary Halloween (since, boycotting the holiday altogether is a little ambitious and un-spirited - for this year anyways). Read through the following pages and adopt as many of our simple suggestions for a smarter Halloween and then choose to share them with others.
A happy, healthy and safe Halloween to you all.
Since Halloween involves community, support yours.
Use a costume you already have, or, make your own!
Buy your organic pumpkin at a farmers market,
If you do not have costumes already, then make
or better yet, go and pick your own, it’ll get you
your own! (and please, NO toxic face paints -
right into the Halloween spirit!
check all makeup, hairsprays, nailpolish etc. at www.cosmeticsdatabase.com!). Do you
Growing a conventional pumpkin takes an remember dressing as a ballet dancer or hockey awful lot of pesticides (they are a very heavily player? Of course, and it’s easy. How can you “treated” crop) and they take up too much space justify putting on an off-gassing, store-bought, in landfills, releasing greenhouse gases as they made-in-China, phthalate-laced, over-packaged decompose after their single use on Halloween. mask by choice? A few costume ideas that are Be sure to take full advantage of your entire bright, easy and comfortable: a Whiteboard (all pumpkin by roasting the seeds (yummy and white clothing with a pen on a string around very healthy), make a soup or pie, and compost your neck and people can sign you - now that is the rest of the pumpkin when you're done. interactive!), a Compact Flourescent Lightbulb Another easy one - walk, do not drive. Stick to (again, all white clothing with skinny white your neighbourhood, talk to your neighbours balloons in twisty shapes on your head), a and enjoy the crisp fall air.
It's a bonus to Ghost (with an organic cotton sheet, of course),
squeeze that exercise time a Jelly Fish (dressed in pink into your busy day. while opening and closing an umbrella) .
Carve Away! Get creative carving your organic pumpkin. Involve the whole family so everyone can share in the fun!
Boo! Creating a great, unique and easy costume doesn’t need to harm our kids, our environment, or our wallets
Upcycle!
Bribe your children.
Instead of turning on every light in your house,
I hear ding-dongs going off over this one, but
use your opened, used cans for exciting and
anyone who says that bribery doesn’t work, has
even elegant decor! Take the labels off, punch
never been a parent. Offer your kids their very
holes in each can (try funny or scary faces or
own, entire cake of their choice BEFORE they go
simple patterns) and place an organic soy or
out, in lieu of taking and eating any of that
beeswax candle inside. Wait until you see the
garbage! And then, when out, try reverse-trick-
amazing lights and lanterns you have created
or-treating. Instead of getting candy, give candy
when you light them up. This is a great year
to each house you visit (organic + nut free is
round project (since you shouldn’t be using that
always a good choice), or just do the trick thing
many cans anyway!) and
instead.
this trick is reusable year after year - just keep adding to your Halloween decor collection.
Bake your own cake or try this sinfully delicious boxed one!
Can it already, would ‘ya?! Do you know what’s in your cans? How about in the linings of those cans? Eden Organic seems to care about our health more than many other companies from their ingredients to their BPA-free linings, it’s our brand of choice, and should be yours too! www.edenfoods.com
Sweets From The Earth Chocolate Fudge Cake is low in saturated fat, has no artificial colours, flavours, preservatives or refined sugars, nut-free, 100% vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, lactose-free, gmo-free and certified kosher, yet full of decadence. Trust us, the kids (and you) will love this. www.sweetsfromtheearth.com
Give out real treats.
Of course, use a reusable bag.
Treats are treats. Kids love treats. You love
You can always use a pillowcase (you know the
your kids. What to do??? Every store has
one you used before you switched to sleeping
colourful boxes lined up on shelves ready for us
soundly on organic?). But, if you do not yet
to buy (think of the resources wasted just to get
have strong reusable bags, get a ChicoBag (or
those boxes printed and on shelf!). It’s scary to
ten) already! Buying a special edition Trick-or-
think of the artificial colours, flavours, refined,
Treat bag means that the company will make a
over-processed ingredients and dyes that are in
donation to Green Halloween, a non-profit,
our candy. If you are not
grassroots community involvement to create
keen on giving out pencils
healthier and more sustainable holiday
made from recycled
traditions, starting with Halloween.
The
materials (stop rolling your
bonus? There’s
eyes), try safe and delicious
room for 25
snacks that kids will love
pounds worth of goodies to tote
(and parents will too!).
around.
Be the yummiest house on the block! (consider health & allergies!)
Carry these around the Block
These brands are smartly offering treat size goodies for Halloween. If you don’t see them right on their site, just get in touch with them and place your order! www.yummyearth.ca www.chocolatebar.com
These strong, foldable bags will really get you into the Halloween spirit! You can confidently fill them up with as many treats as you can carry
www.lasiembra.com
without worrying about getting out melted, smooshed
www.surfsweets.com
chocolate since they are machine washable.
www.sweetsfromthearth.com
www.chicobags.com
Think about your drink. (before you leave home!)
Walk around all charged up.
Make sure when you leave your home on
Use a solar charged, crank powered, or shake
Halloween, you’re well prepared, so you don’t
and shine flashlight to walk around your block
have to make any additional (and unnecessary)
at night...no batteries required, which means no
stops - your kids (and you) will get thirsty - plus
batteries running out mid-use (how
it’s always important to stay hydrated! Take
annoying/disappointing is that?) and no
your own bottled water (aka: a safe reusable
batteries to ever dispose of either. Major upside
bottle filled up with tap water). If it’s chilly
- many solar or crank gadgets can charge your
where you live, take
an insulated mug (see
smartphones and other electronics - perfect for
below for the Klean Kanteen Insulated - hot has
blackouts or travel anywhere - even if just in
never stayed so hot!). A bonus: when you have
your neighbourhood. Be sure to purchase one of
water, you can clean off your kids
good quality that will last and not end up in
hands, or dirty, scraped knees and
landfill as quickly as everything else on a typical
keep going!
Halloween.
Sip on This! Klean Kanteen’s quality, handcrafted bottles and their commitments to strong environmental and labor standards is unrivaled. Because their bottles don't have a liner, they are safe & they don't retain flavors or make drinks taste funky either. www.kleankanteen.com
Crank it! Eton has a fabulous range of products powered by alternative energy. You’ll be happy to own something to really count on ! www.etoncorp.com
The Moral of our Halloween Tale: Reduce because you easily can,
Reuse as much as possible, and
Recycle the balance (which is hopefully, not much).
BORDEN COMMUNICATIONS + DESIGN
Don’t judge a book by it’s cover. Buy it. If you are
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Alphabet o f Avoidance
A book by Lisa Borden, idea girl + owner of Borden Communications known for providing common-sense clarity in our complicated world.
LISA BORD EN A fun, insp iring and pe rspective-ch what we sh anging read ould be av that not on oiding to le ly identifie ad a health to immedia s ier life, bu tely replac t also includ e the ‘bad’ es simple so with somet lutions hing better ...or even, nothing at all.
TheAlphabetOfAvoidance.com
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