As Halloween approaches in Tulsa and fake cobwebs drape over neighborhood shrubs, the City prompts folks to think a bit more green when scaring and celebrating. According to an announcement from the city's waste management department, residents are presented with ways they can keep the spooky festivities environmentally friendly.
Now, costume masks often end up as another unsightly specter in the landfill, their eerie faces a glimpse of sustainability's challenges. To combat this, the city recommends face painting – an ephemeral canvas returning to soap and water rather than a permanent phantom in the trash. Meanwhile, cloth or metal alternatives to candy bags have been suggested as a means to drive down single-use plastic, which is as stubborn to break down as a curse over an ancient tomb.
"At the City of Tulsa we always want to encourage our residents to find new ways to reduce waste and reduce recycling contamination. Small changes lead to big impacts in becoming a more sustainable city," Philip Eakes, Refuse and Recycling Manager, said in the city's statement.
When the ghostly hour comes to a close and cleanup begins, not everything can go back into the cycle of reincarnation that is recycling. Aluminum cans, glass bottles, and clean cardboard from candy boxes can make the cut, but candy wrappers, fabric costumes, and synthetic decorations – these are the remnants that haunt the gray trash cart. The hope is, with some awareness and a bit of effort, Tulsa can keep the fright in the night without costing the earth its vitality.
