Spooked by the idea of trying to make your Halloween more sustainable? Don't be. It's easy to limit your environmental impact and still enjoy the creepiest of holidays. In fact, some of the easiest ways to change your Halloween habits are probably things you did when you were a kid yourself. So don your superhero costume and do a little to save the Earth. Here are some of Blue Egg's tricks to greening your Halloween-you'll go batty for them.

• Do it the old-fashioned way: Give your kids old pillowcases instead of plastic pumpkins. Buy some fabric markers so they can decorate the makeshift candy bags to match their costumes, or just to write their names on them so there's no confusion during the big trade at the end of the evening. Don't have pillowcases to spare? Try reusing sturdy shopping bags with handles. You won't have a hard time persuading your kids when they realize how much more loot they'll collect in a bag than in a rigid plastic pumpkin. By reusing bags, you'll cut down on waste-and the plastic pumpkin patch that will end up sprouting in the landfill after Halloween has passed.
• If you have to drive, carpool. No one likes to trick-or-treat alone, anyway. If you live in areas where getting from house to house necessitates a car, get a few neighborhood kids together and offer to drive chaperones and trick-or-treaters in one vehicle. You'll save gas and money, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions along the way.
• Light the way with a hand-cranked LED or solar-powered flashlight. If you opt to hand-crank, you'll never have to worry about replacing batteries-and, better, you'll be keeping nasty battery chemicals out of the waste stream. Already have some old flashlights floating around in the hall closet? Get some rechargeable batteries for the big night, and use them again and again, long after the sugar rush is over.

Devilish decorations

• Buy local or organic pumpkins. You can often find both of these at a your nearest farmers market, or ask your local pumpkin patch how they grow theirs.
• Plant an old scarecrow on your porch...and spook global warming when it comes knocking at your door! To do it: Stuff a pair of old jeans and a flannel shirt with leaves, plop a pumpkin head on him, and voila! A bona fide gatekeeper.
• Get some fair-trade Halloween crafts. At Global Exchange Fair Trade Halloween Central, "fair trade is boo-tiful." Pick up some fun decorations, such as their Papel Picado Mexican skeleton streamers.

• Get creative and reuse old boxes, aluminum foil, and other scraps around the house to make a costume. Cutting eyeholes in old sheets isn't that retro.
• If you're having a party and guests plan to come in costume, ask them to rent, buy, or borrow a used one instead of buying a new one. Better yet, challenge them to be creative with old clothes from the attic, or vintage attire from a thrift store. Consider holding a contest to reward the most unique of the eco-friendly outfits.

• Stock up on natural, fair-trade, and eco-responsible candy. Websites like Endangered Species Chocolate and Natural Candy Store ("all the fun without the funny stuff") can help with your candy needs.

Have an eye-popping party

• Invite your guests electronically. You'll not only save trees and reduce waste, but you'll also eliminate the costs of printed invitations and postage.
• Buy your food at the local farmers market. What Halloween is complete without fresh donuts and apple cider? 'Tis the season for locally grown apples and colorful squash, for eating and decorating!
• Choose LED Halloween lights. If you're planning to decorate with Halloween lights, choose a set that uses LED bulbs (PDF). LED mini-bulbs use less energy than regular mini-lights, and last more than a decade longer!
• Alternatively, glow in the dark. Turnoff the lights and read a spooky story to the glow of your hand-cranked flashlight. If you don't have any ghost story books of your own, borrow one from your local library.
• Keep the disposables in the cupboard. Use washable plates, glasses, and utensils, if possible. If your guests outnumber your place settings, choose compostable instead of disposable tableware.
• Recycle! Make sure recycling and composting bins are placed prominently. Label the bins to inform your guests that you're trying to host a zero-waste party.
• If you can, compost any organic waste from the party: pumpkin innards and pumpkin seed shells, fall leaves, and other fruit rinds and pits.
• Clean up with green cleaners. After the party, scoop up and wipe away candy wrappers and pumpkin innards using nontoxic, biodegrable surface cleaners. The natural cleaners will go easy on your health and your kids', too.

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