We try to be as green as we can, and we try to look for creative ways to green our regular practices. That means trying to find a green way to decorate for Halloween.

We are very minimal decorators, mainly just using toys the boys have gotten for Halloweens in the past. But we do buy a big pumpkin to carve every year.

This year we scooped out as much of the inside as we could, and I cooked it in the microwave. My plan is to make some pumpkin muffins with it.

While we scooped out the seeds, they went straight into the compost bin. I’ve attempted to bake pumpkin seeds before, but it’s not turned out well. This is most likely due to my disdain for reading directions. Still, my hope is that the seeds will end up sprouting pumpkins once we re-compost our garden beds. This year, we grew tomatoes and squash just from the compost seeds. Maybe next year I will read the directions, and bake up some pepitas.

Do you save the pumpkin innards? Have advice on seed baking for next year? Or pumpkin recipes?

As I was shopping earlier today, I noticed that there were Christmas decorations for sale everywhere I looked. Of course, this can only mean one thing…Halloween is almost here!!!

With such a big holiday right around the corner, I started asking myself how one could make the whole thing a little better for the environment. Green Halloween costumes, perhaps? Then I stumbled across some environmentally friendly Halloween candy, and knew I had found my next BGM post. So, without further ado, here are three green options to hand out to trick-or-treaters:

Jelly Belly Natural Flavors: You may be asking yourself why these jelly beans are any different than the stale ones sitting in the candy jar (since Easter!) at your office. To start, they’re actually very tasty. They’re also free of preservatives, artificial colors, artificial flavors and funky chemicals. Instead, they’re sweetened with actual fruitstuff, like banana puree and coconut flakes.

Betty Lou’s Organic Golden Smackers: Admittedly, this wouldn’t be my first name choice for this particular product. However, the candy itself is awesome. Comparable to a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup (but trans-fat free!), these treats are made out of organic chocolate, oats, agave syrup, brown rice and peanut butter. If you hand these out to the kids, you can be sure your house won’t get TP’d (although the same can’t be said for your penny and toothbrush brandishing neighbors).

Endangered Species Chocolate Halloween Treats: These are waaay better than Hershey’s Kisses. Made from 100% ethically traded and organically grown chocolate, they’re a delicious way to bring attention to endangered species. Each of the wrappers highlight an endangered plant or animal, so the kids will learn while satisfying their sweet tooths (or is it sweet teeth?). Plus, the company donates 10% of the proceeds to environmentally friendly charities. Not bad!