Campbell & West San Jose Real Estate, brought to you by the Zanger Team at Referral Realty

“Halloween seems wasteful. Are there ways to make it more green?”

Danny Says: You can make a difference by knowing how to recycle, reuse, and repurpose all the Halloween tricks and treats.

Pumpkins: Crack open gourds and pumpkins with a hammer, and place the broken pieces in the woods or a field far ways from your house. Deer and other animals will feast on the flesh and seeds. You can also air dry pumpkin seeds as bird feed; our feathered friends crave the high-protein treat.

Barley Hay: Buy barley hay bales to decorate your front porch. Barley hay is a natural deterrent of algae in ponds and water gardens because it releases natural oxygenators to clear the water. Just gather barley hay into small bundles, stuff them into a netted bag, add a rock for weight, drop it in your pond, and forget about it. Hay can also be used as mulch in the garden.

Candy: Give leftover wrapped candy to local charities such as Meals on Wheels or an agency that works with children. Hard candy-like peppermints and butterscotch-can be crushed with a rolling pin and sprinkled on rolled cookie dough before baking for a yummy glaze.

Costumes: Donate last year’s outfits to local Goodwill or Salvation Army stores where they’ll sell them and raise money. After this year’s festivities, ask local children’s hospitals if they would like lightly worn costumes for the kids.

~Better Homes and Gardens (October 2008)