A low waste Autumn and Halloween

It's my favourite time of the year! AUTUMN!

The colours, the refreshing (but chilly) mornings, warm soups, blankets and of course Halloween.

There is lots of excitement around the famous spooky holiday and the Autumn season, yet it also comes a lot of waste and unnecessary purchases. I've been seeing so many Autumn decor and Halloween hauls on Youtube where people purposely buy cheap, single use objects to decorate their house with for a short period of time before throwing them out. I'm here to tell you... you don't need to do that! You can be super festive and celebrate in style without the added waste.

How to have a low waste Autumn and Halloween:

Decorations

- Visit your local pumpkin patch and stock up on a mixture of mini and large coloured pumpkins or squashes. I didn't know you could get grey pumpkins until now and they are so pretty. Place them on display outside your home or around different areas of the house for an aesthetic look.

- Pick up colourful fallen leaves. You can press them using a flower press or in between stacks of heavy books. Pinterest have lots of different craft ideas using pressed leaves including: leaf garlands, wreaths, leaf confetti and candle decorations. Click here for ideas.

- Use tealights or battery powered candles to give your home a cosy autumnal feel. I found my electric candles in my local charity shop. Don't forget to use rechargeable batteries or recycle your single use batteries and metal tealight holders.

- If you love blankets and cushions in your house, take a look around your local charity shop or search online sites such as Facebook marketplace and eBay for pre-loved secondhand items. You won't be creating a demand for new materials and you will be saving an item from being potentially thrown into a landfill.

- Hosting a Halloween party? Check your local charity shop. During seasonal holidays, stock is usually themed. My local shop is currently displaying costumes for both children and adults, homeware and Halloween party decorations. You could even borrow decorations from friends and family or ff you are feeling crafty why not try and make your own? Click here for ideas.

Sweets and treats

For all of you who actually open your door to trick or treaters! I hide ;p

- Visit your local bulk store.

These shops in Cornwall sell loose sweets

*The Refill shop, Truro,

*Gilllians Larder, Helston,

*The Weigh inn, Penzance

- Look for sweets with paper wrappers

- Home popped popcorn in paper bags,

homemade biscuits, homemade sweets, pumpkin seeds,

chocolate covered raisins, fruit

- Making party food? Click here for some ideas

Costumes

- First things first: Take a look in your wardrobe and see what you already own. You may have an old costume hiding in the back or some garments which can be turned into a costume with a few accessories.

-If you are crafty, why not make your own costume with items you already own.

- If you are not crafty or just don't have the time, take a look in your local charity shop or thrift store. Or even borrow a costume?

During popular holidays, charity shops tend to display themed stock. Not only will you be saving money but you also won't be putting

money towards the fashion industry and the demand for new materials.

- Use make up your already own instead of buying cheap face paints. If you don't own makeup, borrow some from people you know.

If you need to buy face paint, please buy eco friendly non toxic face paint. Don't use glitter!

Even the biodegradable glitter is not good for

the environment. It will only biodegrade in specific

environmental conditions (I will do a post

on my social media about this soon).

Autumn activities I love doing (and you might too!) :

- Go walking. Discover new locations and make most of the quiet season.

I really love Trebah Garden. They are open all year round which means you can see the seasons changing :) In the winter they give National Trust members discounted entry, but don't forget to wrap up warm and bring a flask of coffee!

- Once again, visit a pumpkin patch.

It's fun! What's not to love about pumpkins and they make a great photo opportunity.

Places in Cornwall to pick pumpkins:

*Trevaskis farm

*Cornish Maize Maze, Saltash

*Padstow Maize Maze

*Perranworthal fruit and veg stall

* Small farm near Cornish Concrete Products, Bissoe

Obviously carve them for Halloween and then make something delicious using the left overs. Pumpkin recipes down the bottom of the page.

-Wild foraging

Turn autumn walks into a foraging mission. Blackberries are the most common fruit picked at this time of year although they came really early so not really sure how many are still around.

Sloes will also be appearing but don't pick these until first frost. Only then can you make some lovely sloe gin!

It's still apple season! If you find a tree, get picking.

- Head to your local farmers market

Eat healthy, seasonal food which is grown locally to help the economy and reduce your carbon footprint.

My local:

Patrick's Patch - Market on the Moor Falmouth

*Saturdays 9-5

Find your farmers market here

Fruit and veg in season