an eco-friendly halloween

It's October, which means one of my favorite holidays is almost here. While Halloween is by tradition a day of spooky festivities, one of the scariest things about it is the amount of resources spent on cheap plastic costumes and decorations. So instead of being freaked out over all the petroleum-laden junk associated with the holiday, I've rounded up a few tips for having a more green Halloween.



Costumes

Instead of breathing in toxic fumes from that George W. mask you were thinking of wearing, try one of these thrifty and eco-friendly costume ideas (adapted from Halloween on the Web):

• Pair o' dice lost: This one requires a partner. Each of you wear a cubical cardboard box painted white with black dots to match a pair of dice. Carry a road map and look confused
• A work of art: Recreate a famous painting on a big piece of cardboard (such as Munch's The Scream, the Mona Lisa, or American Gothic). Cut out a hole where the face would be, then put your face through it
  
• Two heads are better than one: Get an XXXL sweatshirt and a friend. Get inside -- et voila! -- you're conjoined twins
• Hari, Hari: Cover your hair with pantyhose (yeah, this is usually petroleum based) and cut a hole in the top. Bring your hair out of the hole (this even works with short -- but not buzzed -- hair). Wear a toga and carry a tambourine
• Cartoon flashback: Get a bunch of friends together and go as characters from your favorite cartoon. Scooby Doo is a good example... some of my friends did this last year. You can probably find all the clothes you'll need at the local consignment shop or on eBay
  

More crafty costume ideas from iVillage.

For thrift stores in your area, check here.

If you're not feeling creative, you can also get used costumes on eBay.


DIY Makeup

• General face paint: 1 tsp corn starch, 1/2 tsp water, 1/2 tsp cold cream, 2 drops food coloring. Mix well
• Blood: Combine red food coloring and corn syrup. Drip the blood where you'd like, but don't let the edges smear and give it plenty of time to dry
• Blood and gore: Use red food coloring, corn syrup, and chunky peanut butter

[via Halloween on the Web]

(Side note: I'm normally not an advocate of corn syrup, but well, it's Halloween, it may be the least toxic makeup option, and you're not ingesting it!)

Find more DIY Halloween makeup tips here.

Want to do it like a pro? According to Make mag's blog, Etsy will be giving a Halloween makeup how-to in Brooklyn, 10/27 and 10/28 (a testament to the level of professionalism at right)

Decorations

Please, I beg you, don't buy one of those giant blow-up lawn ornaments made from PVC. Try one of these ideas instead:

• Jack o' Lantern (no kidding!). But how 'bout a solar powered one?
  
• Make a scarecrow from old jeans, flannel shirt, t-shirt, and pillowcase (another version here)
• Cut a piece of cardboard into a tombstone, paint it grey and decorate as you wish
• Cut shapes of bats, spiders, or cats from cardboard and black paint. Set up lights behind them to cast creepy shadows
• Use an old sheet as a backdrop. Paint a scary scene or cut and sew felt or other scrap fabric onto it to create a unique Halloween scene
• If you want to get fancy, rent a fog machine which uses non-toxic, water-based fog fluid. OR make one yourself! (If you end up buying one, and don't think you'll use it again, donate it to a school or local theater when you're done).
  

For the serious DIY'er, more decor ideas from Instructables.

And for the kids...
Discover Halloween tricks and treats for kids at NatureMoms.

One last note. Be sure to recycle all the elements of your costume and decor. Compost your pumpkin guts and toast the seeds. Have fun and Happy Halloween!

kaight loves fall -- sale!

Save on some great eco-friendly fashion for Fall.

Visit www.kaightshop.com and enter coupon code "fall" at checkout to receive 25% off your purchase. Valid through Oct. 15.

fish lips support breast cancer research

Fish Lips, purveyor of eco-friendly gift wrap, is donating $2 of every purchase of pink paper from their site to breast cancer research -- in honor of Breast Cancer awareness month. Help a worthy cause while shopping for wrapping paper by clicking below:

caps off to aveda

Did you know that the caps of plastic bottles are not recyclable? When you're tossing your #1 or #2 plastics in the recycling bin, those little plastic caps are supposed to go in the trash, because their plastic composition is usually mixed or unknown.

We probably all know by now that there's more plastic than plankton in parts of the Pacific (and elsewhere). So instead of adding to the problem, now, thanks to Aveda, we can be part of the solution. You can bring your caps to an Aveda store or mail them in. Get the full scoop here.



[via EcoSalon]

3 books i want to read now

Two topics are on everyone's mind right now: the economy and energy. These 3 books offer insights into their critical link, offering solutions on how America can rise above while simultaneously saving the planet.

Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution--and How It Can Renew America by Thomas L. Friedman



The Green Collar Economy: How One Solution Can Fix Our Two Biggest Problems
by Van Jones



Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution
by Paul Hawken, Amory Lovins, and L. Hunter Lovins

public transport breathes life into endangered species

What are the positive consequences of choosing public transportation? This street art demo offers one answer.



[via Climate 411]

please read: the future of energy

We Can't Drill Our Way Out of This Mess.

It's true. There are sustainable, sensible solutions to the energy (and economic) crisis. Please read this common sense article from Robert Redford (via NRDC's newsletter Nature's Voice) about the future of energy in this country.

Seldom do politics get this cynical. Seldom is the real pain of real people so cravenly exploited. Many of our fellow Americans now choose between buying gas to get to work and buying food to feed their families. Meanwhile, President Bush is trading on that desperation to peddle a lie: that sacrificing our coastlines and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to Big Oil will solve our problems at the pump. He's already lifted the executive ban on drilling off our coasts and challenged Congress to do the same. The president knows very well that we cannot drill our way to lower gas prices. We cannot for the simple reason that America has only 3 percent of the world's oil reserves. The rate at which we extract that small share is all but meaningless to the vast world oil market where we buy and sell the stuff like everyone else.

Read the rest.

Read even more about why drilling is not the solution.
Oh, and here, too.

climate change exhibit

Coming soon to the Museum of Natural History...

Climate Change: The Threat To Life and A New Energy Future

Exhibition opens October 18, 2008, and will remain on view through August 16, 2009, before traveling to Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Mexico, and South America

Climate Change will give visitors a scientific context to help make sense of today's most urgent headlines on global warming. More importantly, the exhibition will inspire visitors to participate in the world-changing discussion on how best to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The central part of the exhibition will explore the effects of climate change on several separate but interrelated areas: Earth's atmosphere, oceans, land, and polar ice sheets. Scientists have documented a dramatic increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere over the past 150 years—especially CO₂ (carbon dioxide)—caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and other changes in land use. Climate Change will use realistic dioramas, hands-on activity stations, and dynamic animations to understand the climate's response to the build-up of greenhouse gases and explore the repercussions for today's world and future generations.


You bet your globally warmed butt I'll be there!

More info here.

this weekend in bklyn...

If you're in Brooklyn this weekend be sure to take advantage of one of these cool eco happenings:

Clean out your closet!

Collecther Clothing Swap
What: Dig in your closet for some tired old duds (12 of them, to be precise) and bring them to the swap. You'll get 100 fake bucks to bid on some "new" get-ups. $15 gets you in on all the action.
When: Saturday 10/4 @ 6pm
Where: Franklin btwn Lafayette and Clinton, Bed-Stuy

My So Called Swap
What: One lady's old sweater is another lady's treasure. Bring some clothes your willing to part with and mix with fellow swappers while swooning over Jordan Catalano as “My So Called Life” plays in the background. Drink specials, cupcakes, and Tarot readings are also in store.
When: Sunday 10/5 from 4-8pm
Where: K&M Bar, 225 North 8th at Roebling, W'burg, 718-388-3088



Bring out your read!

The Great American Book Drive
What: Dust off those old books you never read and bring them to the drive to support some worthy organizations, like Better World Books.
When: Saturday 10/4 from 10am - 3pm
Where: Brooklyn Central Library, Grand Army Plaza



It's open, come on in!

NYC Green Buildings Open House
What: GreenhomeNYC’s annual guided tour of green buildings all over NYC. Learn about sustainable building features like energy saving and indoor air quality while touring unique residences and businesses via bus, bike, or your own two feet.
When: Saturday 10/4, times vary
Where: Locations vary, check here for tour details

[Image: Greenbelt]

[via Brooklyn Based]

tread lightly: eco travel

One of my eco vices is travel. I love to go to new places, especially if there's a chance I'll see some wildlife. The conundrum is this: in pursuing this desire to experience all of the planet's wonders, I'm contributing to its detriment.

The only way to stop loving the planet to death is to sacrifice travel altogether -- I'm not ready to do that. But I am willing to put some effort into reducing my ecological impact when I travel. For starters, I can pack less stuff, take my own water bottle (empty, of course, to get through airport security), offset my carbon output, and choose lodging that's environmentally responsible.

National Geographic Traveler put together a comprehensive guide that offers 50 ways to travel responsibly (well, as responsibly as possible) and still have fun. It's a great resource to consult before your next trip.

[National Geographic via Treehugger]

zero waste, a girl can dream

If it can't be reduced, reused, repaired, rebuilt, refurbished, refinished, resold, recycled or composted, then it should be restricted, redesigned or removed from production.






Pete Seeger
from "If It Can't Be Reduced"
off his new album "At 89"
taken verbatim from a
Berkeley, CA city council resolution

more about our emptied oceans

It seems like a challenging task to demonstrate how vast our negative impact on the oceans is. Most obviously because, when we look out at an open sea, we can't see below the surface.

Randy Olson, documentarian and one-time marine biologist, shows us how depleted the oceans have become in a one minute video. He simply compares the observations of two ocean voyages 50 years apart. Pretty compelling stuff.



Read the NYT blog about it here.

Related post
fin, finito, bye bye fishies

tracing the backstory of stuff

When we buy something new we usually know only a few elements of its backstory. We know where it is was "made" and where we are buying it. We might even know a little bit about what it's made from by the label. But the origin and impact of the materials and the process of making the product is mostly a mystery to us.


[Image: brianinsanfran]

There are few examples of transparency in the manufacturing of goods. Patagonia stands out as one company with a policy of openness. And while they are by today's standards a shining example of sustainability, they are not without their flaws. They bare all in the Footprint Chronicles, where the user can trace the backstory of a Patagonia product. The good and bad aspects of production are highlighted, as well as where the company thinks they need to improve. There's even an opportunity for you to let them know what you think about their efforts.

Read more about Becoming Better Backstory Detectives at WorldChanging.

You can get Patagonia products at Amazon, REI, and Patagonia.