Thank you for your interest in Green Halloween. Green Halloween was founded by an Arizonan (who now lives in Seattle) in an effort to turn the holiday into a more healthy, sustainable celebration - throughout the month of October. Inspired Birthdays, in its mission to grow children as stewards of our community, is pleased to have volunteered to help bring this movement to the Phoenix area. Contact Rhonda Bannard for more information about supporting Green Halloween Phoenix. (Sponsorships to support the movement and our local nonprofit beneficiary, Hands on Greater Phoenix, are available. We're also signing up moms and dads, businesses and others who want to sign on by turning their celebrations for the trick or treat month - green!)

In the meantime, what can you do to have a Green Halloween?

Businesses can:

• Support Green Halloween by making a sponsorship investment – a win for nonprofits and a marketing/PR win for your company.
• Share the tips and concepts with your employees so that they can take them and run with it – decorating contests in the office, healthy Halloween snacks only, toothbrushes and the like for treats, and more.
• Host a morale boosting party over the month of October to benefit our featured charity – Hands on Greater Phoenix. Or consider signing up with Hands on Greater Phoenix to engage your company in its own project during October – and sport your favorite costumes while leaving your volunteer footprint on the community. Contact them at www.makeadifference.org or 602-973-2212. Your team, decked out in costumes, could even read for an evening to kids in need of a special connection. Leave behind healthy treats for the kids.

Parents and families can:

• Focus more on the fun than the candy. Think simple, reduce the "things" you incorporate and focus on the fun – a time for you (the parent) and the kids.
• Make a big deal of your child’s costume – getting dressed, taking pictures, etc. Consider something recycled, reused or otherwise green. (Head to Goodwill and help another nonprofit in the process!)
• Consider your own décor taking on a more eco-friendly slant; use natural/reusable products.
• Have a charity-themed party. Instead of giving out prizes for games, have the kids focus on the featured nonprofit – Hands on Greater Phoenix, which works with hundreds of other nonprofits that work to support other kids and other community issues.
• Have a Halloween gratitude party. Deliver handmade cards to your local farmer or the vendors at the local farmer’s market. Take time to tour the farm or learn about the wares and where they came from. Arrange for each child to bring a mini pumpkin home.
• Talk to your neighbors about what they will be giving away in advance. One option is to trick-or-treat only at homes where you know Green Halloween items will be passed out. (You could create a list of ideas for what healthier trick or treat options may be and hand them out to neighbors by the end of September. Possibly include a form that allows the neighbors to "commit" to being green and deliver a "green Halloween" door hanger designation for your neighborhood!)
• Show your Green by displaying your own Green Halloween sign and ask your Green Halloween neighbors to do the same. Turn looking for the signs into a hunt for treasures. The Green Halloween sign on your own door will announce to trick-or-treaters that they’re in for a great surprise!
• Make it a pre-Halloween learning experience with your kids to talk about what is in candy and why it is not healthy. Ask them to come up with creative, kid and Earth-friendly alternatives that your own family can hand out and feel good about.
• Have a candy trade: let your kids trade their candy towards other little gifts or give them a "pumpkin point" for each piece of candy they collect. Use pumpkin points to "buy" a toy or do a special activity with your child.
• Let them choose a limited amount of candy to eat (for example, one piece for each year your child is old). In many cities, the leftover candy can be recycled and turned into compost! Just be sure to remove candy from its wrapper first.
• When trick-or-treaters come to your door, shout, "Happy Hallo-green!!! Then give away eco-tips with your treats.