Forget zombies, vampires, ghosts and goblins. TodayShow.com contributor Marisa Belger is spooked by how eco-unfriendly Halloween is (via Daily Gut):
Halloween can be an especially eco-unfriendly holiday. There’s the single-use plastic of red devil costumes, countless candy wrappers (not to mention the refined sugar, high-fructose corn syrup and artificial color of the candies themselves) and disposable decorations. According to the National Retail Federation’s Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, Americans will spend more than $5 million on Halloween paraphernalia this year. That’s more than $5 million worth of stuff that ultimately ends up impacting the earth.
Fortunately for us, Belger has some handy tips, such as "organic treats." But before you egg her house, kids, she insists she doesn't mean fruit is the only alternative to candy:
I am not of the Halloween school of thought that believes it is at all acceptable to substitute sweet treats for, say, an apple (potential hidden razor blades aside) or a box of raisins. But I do think it’s important to give little trick-or-treaters goodies that are made from all-natural, organic ingredients.
This year, kids who knock on our door will be receiving Endangered Species Chocolates organic dark chocolate Bug Bites. Each .35 ounce square of delectable organic chocolate comes with one of 32 insect trading cards. Endangered Species also gives 10 percent of its net profits to help support species, habitat and humanity. Creepy, cool and conscious — just the way I like it.
Another twist on the Halloween treat is individual bags of organic cookies. I’m a big fan of Immaculate Baking Co.’s Pumpkin Gingerlies (pumpkin ginger goodness) and Sweet Georgia Brownies (chocolate on chocolate) — both available in 1.25 oz bags. Immaculate’s cookies are made with organic ingredients and the company has also created a “Soul-Food fund” that supports folk artists of every age and ability.
Something tells me neither the Today show nor MSNBC would not be keen on say an evangelical Christian's tips on how to use trick-or-treating as an opportunity to proselytize. But when it comes to the secular religion of environmentalism, no holiday is a day of rest from ecovangelism.
