A Greener, Healthier Halloween -- Los Angeles Costume Swap

Have you ever considered, between the candy and the throw away costumes, how unhealthy for you and the planet Halloween as we know it really is?

Make this the year you change how you celebrate.
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Green Halloween isa non-profit community initiative to create a healthier more Earth-friendly Halloween, and the sponsor for the upcoming Los Angeles Costume Swap. Alivia Hunter, Jackie Carter, and their fellow Green Halloween volunteers are involved with Los Angeles Costume Swap as a way to create a healthier environment - kids and the Earth. Partners are the Mar Vista Farmers Market and Mar Vista Community Council as well as National Costume Swap Day™, a partnership of Green Halloween® Swap.com and Kiwi magazine.
 

"Halloween has become a junk-infested holiday plagued with throwaway costumes clogging our landfills, and known more as a candy bowl menace threatening our children’s long-term well-being. Los Angeles is on the list for 50 of the least healthy cities in the nation"

Some facts:

*Since the 1980’s, the number obese children has more than tripled.

*35 percent of Americans have expectations for companies to make and sell environmentally responsible products and services during the economic downturn.

*A 2003 Yale University study found that nearly half of 284 young trick-or-theaters picked a small toy over candy when given the choice.

*Swapping half the costumes kids wear at Halloween would reduce annual landfill waste by 6, 250 tons; equal to the weight of 2500 midsize cars.

Janet and Alivia will be providing details about the September 18th costume swap drop off day and the actual October 9 Costume Swap, both at the Mar Vista Farmer's Market.