Laura M. Brown is the owner of P’lovers of Texas (www.plovers.us). P’lovers, originally established in Canada, stands for both ‘Planet Lovers’ and ‘Piping Plovers’, which are small Nova Scotia shore birds which were declared an endangered species in 1985. P’lovers eco-friendly items are available in store and online and can be shipped anywhere.
Laura provided the following green tips for Halloween for parents and families that are fun, hip and sensitive to Mother Earth…
- Decorate your pumpkin with vegetables. Use a carrot for the nose, green peppers or small cauliflower halves for ears…corn silk or other vegetables for hair. Afterwards, compost the vegetables along with your unused pumpkin parts.
- Serving cold beverages? Tickle your guests by using On the Rocks – Granite Ice Cube Drink Chillers (available at Uncommongoods.com) instead of ice cubes. They won’t dilute your drinks, make for great conversation and come in sets of six.
- Treat bags can be anything. P’lover’s bamboo shopping bags are great…and so are pillowcases (great for big trick or treaters!)
- Use white pillow cases for making small ghost decorations. Place a balloon or ball on lamp base, (unplugged please.) Then drape a white pillow case over it. You might use twine or rope to give your ghost a belt. Make a scary face if you wish with fabric scraps.
- Serve those Halloween and harvest treats in recycled glass or bamboo servers. You can create a wonderful “eye ball salad” using one of P’lovers olive servers. Just alternate large pitted black or green olives with small mozzarella balls that you have given eyeballs using slices of pimento stuffed olives. Spooktacular!
- Give fun, useful and hip treats instead of candy. Stickers, recycled erasers, bamboo pencils and our chubby “tree” crayons make great surprises. Beautiful shells, polished rocks and other natural surprises are loved by children!
- Decorate oranges with food coloring markers to make tiny jack o ‘lanterns.
- Stay in the neighborhood. Rather than driving the kids, walk to your destination and celebrate with your neighbors.
- Light your barbeque, fireplace or outdoor fire pit with Holy Smokes™ fire starters made from recycled church candles.
- Give golfers on your trick or treat list golf tees made from corn. It’s a hole in one for Mother Earth!
- If you are hosting a party, avoid disposable items such as napkins, drink stirrers, plates, etc. Better yet-have guests bring a glass or goblet from home and supply items to decorate the glass with for a personalized holiday party favor. Check out our eco-friendly line of hemp napkins, plates and serve ware.
- Planning ahead can cut down on the number of trips you make to the store. Make a list before you go and shopping on-line saves time and gas!
- Buy local. Purchase locally produced pumpkins, gourds, cornstalks and other natural decorations from local farmers markets. Host a neighborhood contest for the most “naturally” decorated home!