Go Green for Halloween

With Halloween fast approaching there are many tempting costumes floating around local convenience stores, but often we buy those costumes and throw them away, not to mention many of them are constructed with toxic dyes that pollute waterways and petroleum products that require drilling. This Halloween, why not go crafty and make your own green costume? Or gather some recyclable materials to whip up something new.

Whatever you're searching for for your green Halloween, we're here to help.

1. Go Natural: Silk and cotton are good alternatives to other dye-heavy materials like polyester. For the kids, Nova Naturals offers costumes made of silk. For babies, Harrison's Halloween offers costumes made of 100% cotton.

2. Recycle: Halloween is definitely a fantastic excuse to recycle. Got a terrible bride's maid dress? It might look better covered in blood. You can now even shop Goodwill right online to score some pirate pantaloons, or some ghastly ghost material.

3. Cardboard is your friend: You might not have search any further than your own recycling bin to whip up a fun cardboard box costume. Take a look at About.com's amazing Cardboard Box Costumes for inspiration. Use water based paint on your cardboard costume and you recycle it again when you're done.

4. Political green: might be living in your own closet. Frighten the world with a green Sarah Palin. Whip out a suit to be Al Gore. Play mother earth with a blue or green sheet, and cover yourself in recyclable paper animals and trees. Looking good in green can be easy and painless.

5. Go get some candy: What costume is complete without some treats? Make sure to avoid using plastic bags to gather your haul. Instead you can use reusable cloth bags, or even your pillow case to bring home that sweet loot. If you're handing out treats, consider buying local goodies if possible--organic chocolate and lollipops are just as sweet. Yummy Earth has a great organic candy selection.

If these suggestions have you in a Halloween frame of mind, take a gander at our Halloween coupons. Have any green Halloween ideas of your own? Share them with us in the comments and follow me on Twitter at @CoupieSavingsl.