The Green Parent

By: Dr. Margaret Lewin, Medical Director of Careful as we are all year, we seem to lose our inhibitions against junk food when Halloween rolls around – snacking on the sugar-laden treats we bought for neighbors’ children as well as the ones our own children bring home from their trick-or-treating.  Here are some tips for resisting temptation: [...]

Happy Halloween everyone!  Now that the pumpkins are carved, the scarecrows stuffed, and the costumes assembled, it’s time to go trick-or-treating!  If your kids are like mine, they’ve practically been living in their costumes and practicing their lines for the last week.  Here’s to a happy, safe, and green Halloween! Share Your Story:If you haven’t [...]

A little over a year ago, I was doing some research for The Green Parent and looking for great green ways for families to celebrate the holidays.  That’s when I ran across information about Corey Colwell-Lipson and her organization, Green Halloween.  The premise behind Green Halloween is not just to make Oct 31st a more [...]

What’s this? A post about Halloween? No, I have not lost my mind (although I’m sure my kids would argue otherwise.) This is the official announcement for Green Halloween‘s National Design Contest. Green Halloween is a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to making Halloween safer (and more fun!) for both our kids and the planet. They’ve [...]

Ahhh…the Halloween festivities are over. And as your kids crash down from their sugar high, it’s time for you to wipe off the smudged face paint, take apart the costumes, put away the candy corn, and get rid of those wilted pumpkins. Here’s how to clean up after your Green Halloween: Pumpkins: Pumpkins are 100% [...]

You’ve carved pumpkins, put together a costume, decorated the house, had a Halloween party, and picked up your Halloween goodies to hand out on the big night. Now it’s time to grab your little ones and head out for a fun night of trick-or-treating. Here’s how to keep it green: Carry A Reusable Sac: Grab [...]

If you’re shopping for treats to hand out this Halloween, you are likely to find a frightening assortment of artificial ingredients, plastic packaging, and sweatshop trinkets. How scary! Steer clear of these ghoulish wares and Green Your Halloween by giving out treats that don’t trick! Here are a few ideas: Fair Trade Chocolates: Chocolate is [...]

Ready to scare up some Halloween fun this weekend? Decorate in black and orange for your next Halloween party but keep it green with these easy tips. And be sure to have a great, green time! Invites Poo Poo Paper: Skip the usual paper invites that cost a fortune to mail and take forever to [...]

Nothing says “Happy Halloween” like a pumpkin. Whether it’s carved or painted, spooky or silly, a pumpkin is a tried and true symbol of the Halloween festivities. They are ridiculously versatile…you can use them as decorations, as side dishes, and even as inspiration for your costume. And growing pumpkins is even good for the environment. [...]

Not that long ago, Halloween decorations consisted of a couple of pumpkins on the front porch and old clothes fashioned into a stuffed scarecrow in the yard. But today, Halloween has begun to rival Christmas with the amount of planning, preparation, and purchasing that goes into the holiday decorations. Don’t be frightened….there are plenty of [...]

With Halloween fast approaching, I am dedicating this week’s blog entries and newsletters to helping you prepare for a Green Halloween. I’ll give you the scoop on the costumes, decorations, pumpkins, and treats that provide scary amounts of fun without frightening the planet. Ready to get started? Check out these ideas for greening your kids’ [...]