From the disposable costumes to the plastic decorations, Halloween can be a frighteningly wasteful holiday. You can make a difference by knowing how to recycle, reuse and repurpose your tricks and treats. The October issue of Better Homes and Gardens features great tips from eco-lifestyle expert Danny Seo:

Pumpkins

To properly dispose of pumpkins, crack open gourds and pumpkins with a hammer, and place the broken pieces in the woods or a field far away 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.

Decorations

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.

¢ Decorate your front pathway and porch with eco-friendlier decor such as rocks painted with glow-in-the-dark paint and solar lights draped in white sheets.

Candy

Give leftover wrapped candy to local charities such as meals on Wheels or an agency that works with children. Hard candies – 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.

¢ Instead of buying plastic pumpkin baskets for the kids to use for treats, repurpose an old pillowcase. Add a drawstring and decorate with nontoxic fabric paints, including glow-in-the-dark varieties that shine as the sun sets.