Haunted by Waste: 4 Easy Steps to a Guilt-Free, Sustainable Halloween

How can you celebrate a sustainable Halloween? Every October, millions of households transform into haunted havens filled with cobwebs, skeletons, and spooky lights. But behind the fun and fright lies a chilling truth: Halloween generates a massive amount of waste. From plastic pumpkins to polyester costumes, the environmental impact of this holiday is enough to make any eco-conscious ghoul shudder. Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake, however, is dedicated to helping you celebrate an eco-conscious, guilt-free Halloween—proving that a sustainable Halloween can still be spooky, stylish, and full of creativity.

The Scary Stats

Most Halloween decorations are made from non-recyclable plastics and synthetic materials that are designed for short-term use. Once the holiday ends, these items—like plastic pumpkins, faux cobwebs, and novelty lights—are often discarded, contributing to seasonal waste. A more sustainable Halloween begins with rethinking these habits and choosing alternatives that reduce environmental impact. Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake supports this shift by encouraging reuse through our donated goods, diverting waste and helping communities celebrate Halloween in a way that’s both festive and eco-conscious.

Goodwill’s Mission to Exorcise Waste

Goodwill isn’t just a place to find affordable costumes and quirky decor—we’ve also been dedicated to being green since 1919. We’re committed to protecting the environment for future generations and always continue to grow our sustainability efforts.

In 2022, Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake partnered with TREX to begin recycling plastic bags. By 2024, we expanded our initiatives to include recycling unsold and broken glass into sand, which can be repurposed for various projects. Since 2012, we’ve successfully diverted 97 million pounds of goods from landfills, including approximately 3.7 million pounds of donated items sold in our stores.

By shopping at Goodwill, you’re supporting a circular economy that repurposes materials and gives them new life—whether it’s a vintage candleholder turned into a spooky centerpiece or a forgotten doll transformed into a creepy porch greeter.

Thrift Your Fright Right

Here are a few ways to make your Halloween decor more sustainable:

• Take Inventory Before Buying: Sort through your Halloween decor from years past to determine what items you already have that you can reuse or spruce up with a little DIY. Plan out what you need to fill in the gaps, so you don’t go out and purchase anything that you don’t need or won’t use.
• Shop Secondhand First: Visit your local Goodwill for unique, pre-loved items that can be upcycled into eerie decor or creative costumes. Our stores are full of fun products just waiting for you to give them a second life. Check out some of our other blogs for easy-to-thrift couples costumes or group looks.
• DIY with Purpose: You may not find the exact items you have in mind for your dream Halloween home makeover, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create them yourself. Form a plan to use donated books, textiles, and accessories to craft haunted house props or the costume of your dreams. Check out our YouTube page for plenty of DIY Halloween inspiration and step-by-step guides!
• Donate After the Haunt: If there’s anything you decide not to keep and reuse for next year, don’t let your decor die a landfill death—donate it back to Goodwill for someone else to enjoy. Find your closest donation center at one of our 32 convenient locations.

A Greener, Sustainable Halloween is a Greater Good

This Halloween, let’s be haunted by the waste we create—and inspired by the change we can make. Every thrifted item is a step toward a cleaner planet and a stronger community. So go ahead, thrift your treat—and trick waste into disappearing.