Green Paige

 Turn your black and orange Halloween party into a green celebration with these 7 easy tips for a zero waste event:

1. Invitations - Print invitations on recycled paper or email them using an event planning website like Evite.

2. Use Reusables - Use reusable plates, silverware, cups and napkins whenever you can but if that’s not practical, purchase Eco-Cycle’s Zero Waste Event Kit.  It provides you with compostable tableware and cutlery, educational signage to use throughout your party and a compost collection container.

3. Decorate Sustainably-  Adorn you party pad with items that can be used over and over again like banners and posters.  Natural items like pumpkins carved into Jack-O-Lanterns, Indian corn, chestnuts, cornstalks, apples, gourds and seeds make great decorations. 

4. Treats and Treasures - Instead of a goody bag filled with candy, let your guests craft their own souvenirs.  The Kids Fun and Games website has wonderful ideas for Halloween crafts for all ages.

5. Food - Visit Green Halloween  for some creepy, crawly recipes like Wasabi Eyeballs, Spicy Bruised Bugs  and Stuffed Intestines. 

6. Costumes - Have a costume contest.  Give prizes to all the contestants that design creative costumes from other people’s waste. Check out Haute Trash and be inspired by beautifully crafted fashion made from everyday trash like inner tubes, plastic bags and cassette tape.

7. Games - Rethink traditional party games. 

• Pumpkin Hunt -  Hide small pumpkins all around your yard.  Give kids a decorated basket and task them to find the pumpkins. 

• Jack-O-Lantern Toss -  Set up several Jack-O-Lanterns in your yard.  Give each child three bean bags and see how many they can toss into the mouth of a Jack-O-Lantern.

•   Spooky Hoops - Make scarecrows or ghosts by stuffing old clothes full of straw, newspaper, or old pillow stuffing.  Ask kids to see how many times they can throw a hula hoop over a scarecrow from a specified distance. 

Have some cool ideas for greening your Halloween party?  Send me a comment. 

This weekend we are planning on visiting an organic farm to pick out just the right pumpkins for our Jack-O-Lanterns, pies, soups, enchiladas, and lasagnas.  Pumpkins are a versatile squash that not only make great seasonal decorations but can become good eats after Halloween is over.  Here are a few of my favorite harvest time recipes:

Spicy Pumpkin Bisque - This soup has become a favorite in our family and amongst our friends.  It yields 4 servings but can be easily doubled.

Ingredients:
1-1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (for a mild soup use 1/4 tsp.)
1 large white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups pumpkin puree (roast your pumpkins first for a smokey flavor)
4 cups organic chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon agave or honey
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup dry sherry

Optional:  grated nutmeg

Instructions:

1. Sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft and transparent.
2. Add the pumpkin, stock, chili pepper, ground pepper, allspice, agave and sherry.  Bring to a boil and cover. 
3. Simmer the soup for 30 minutes. Place the mixture in a blender and puree until smooth.
4. Return the soup to the pot, add the sour cream and simmer until heated.
5. Garnish with the nutmeg and serve.

Pumpkin Enchiladas - This dish is a wonderful combination of autumn flavors.  It takes a bit of time to prepare but it’s worth the effort.  I have also included my own garam masala recipe if you don’t have access to a grocery store that regularly carries it.

Yields 10 servings.

Ingredients:

1 pumpkin ( 1 1/2 lbs. - peeled, seeded and cut into chunks)

1 cup cream cheese

2 Tbl. sp. brown sugar (you can also use succanat)

1 Tbl. sp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. garam masala 

1 medium white onion (chopped)

10 corn tortillas 

2 915-oz) cans enchilada sauce

2 cups Monterey Jack cheese (shredded)

1 cup green olives stuffed with jalapeno peppers

Garam Masala Ingredients:

1 Tbl sp. cumin

1 Tbl sp. coriander

1 1/2 tsp. cardamon

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp.. black pepper

3/4 tsp. cloves

Instructions:

1. Mix together ingredients for garam masala. 
2. Bring large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat 13 x 9 inch glass baking with olive oil; set aside.
3. Add squash to boiling water and cook until tender - 12 minutes.
4. Drain squash and transfer to a large bowl.  Mash well.  Add cream cheese, sugar, cinnamon and garam masala.  Blend with hand mixer until smooth.  Adjust seasonings to taste.
5. Mix in onions.
6. Pour 1 can of the enchilada sauce into the baking dish until the bottom is coved.  Take the other can of sauce and pour into a shallow bowl.
7. To assemble:  Dip a tortilla into the enchilada sauce until it’s covered.  Place 1/2 cup of the squash mixture along the center of the tortilla.  Sprinkle with the shredded cheese and roll up tightly.  Arrange the enchilada in the baking dish with the seam side down.  Repeat this step until all 10 enchiladas are in the baking dish.
8. Cut olives into slices. 
9. Top the enchiladas with remaining enchilada sauce, shredded cheese and olives.
10. Bake until heated through - 10 to 20 minutes depending on  your oven. 

Pumpkin Lasagna - This is a fun and colorful dish that my daughter loves to help me make. 

Yields 8 servings.  

Ingredients:

¼ C. all-purpose flour

2 ½ cup evaporated milk

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1/3 c. grated parmesan cheese

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

10 oz dry lasagna noddles (I use the kind of noodles that you don’t have to precook.  They work best for me.)

2 1/4 cups cooked pureed pumpkin

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

¾ cup cranraisins

2 Tbl sp. peacans

1/4 tsp. fresh ground nutmeg

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Make a cheese sauce by placing flour in a small saucepan then gradually whisk in milk and garlic. 
3. Warm over low heat, stirring constantlyuntil sauce thickens - 3 or 4 minutes. 
4. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
5. Spread ¼ cup of cheese sauce over bottom of a 9 x 13 inch glass pan and cover with one layer of lasagna noodles; top with 1/3 of squash and ½ cup of cheese sauce.  Sprinkle with ½ cup of mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup of cranraisins.  Repeat this step.
6. Top with remaining squash and cranraisins.  Cover with last  lasagna noodles, pressing sheets firmly down.  Top with remaining cheese sauce; sprinkle with nuts and remaining mozzarella cheese.
7. Bake until lasagna bubbles around edges and is browned on top - 30 minutes.  Slice into 8 pieces and serve.

If you have some favorite pumpkin recipes that you would like to share, please post a comment.

Thank you readers for sending in your questions for Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell, authors of Celebrate Green!  Here are their responses:

• Thomas would like to know:   Other than the obvious process of putting the jack-o-lanterns in the compost pile, do you have any other post Halloween (recycling?) ideas around costumes, decorations and candy?

  

“Save costumes until next year, then organize or participate in a costume swap or donate to Goodwill or other thrift or consignment store.”

   

“If you don’t want to use the same decorations year after year, call a preschool, school, senior center or retirement home and see if they could use them.  Rethink your Halloween decorations.  Fake pumpkins can be used for Thanksgiving décor, for instance.  Some décor might be incorporated into small gifts.  Pieces can be used to decorate homemade greeting cards.  Schools often are seeking interesting items to use in craft projects. Before you stop at the trash container, think about how you can change, reuse or give away what you no longer want.” 

“Candy can be composted.  Remove the wrappers before putting in your compost bin.  If you have houseplants, you can even bury one or two pieces in the soil.  Next year, call a local dentist and ask if she would be willing to do a candy exchange.  Some will exchange for money, others for small gifts.  Or if you have a local organic food company, they might want to help out with an exchange.”

• Alison (age 10) would like to know:   Does having a green Halloween mean that I won’t be able to get candy anymore?  How do I tell my friends that a green Halloween can be just as fun as a regular Halloween?

   

“Great questions, Alison.  Thank you for asking.  We’re happy to say that no, you don’t need to give up candy altogether for Halloween.  We are concerned about two things here.  One is the effect on your health of too much candy and the other is the waste that accompanies Halloween.  A small amount of candy isn’t going to hurt you.  But did you know that the average child in America brings home ten pounds of candy on Halloween?  What doesn’t get eaten, gets thrown away.  That’s why we suggest that instead of accepting handfuls of candy, you simply ask if you can have one at each home you go to.  When you get home, you can sort through and pick out a few of your favorites, then decide what to do with the rest. Your parents can get some ideas by visiting Green Halloween.“

 

“Also, unfortunately, a lot of candy is made from ingredients that are bad for us (and the planet).  So organic candy, made from real, organic ingredients, is best. You won’t be able to tell the difference when you try organic lollipops, organic gummy bears and other favorites. Check Green Halloween  for more ideas.”

 

“As for telling your friends that a green Halloween can be just as much fun as the way it’s normally celebrated, maybe it’s best to show instead of tell.  For instance, you could invite a few friends over before or after you go trick or treating (with your parents’ permission of course) and enjoy a green Halloween party.  Don’t tell them that’s what it is.  By the end, they will have had so much fun, they won’t notice that anything is missing.  For lots of ideas for the party, see the Green Halloween website.”

• Cookie would like to know:  I have been throwing a neighborhood Halloween party for 37 years.  People expect the same things (i.e., colorful plastics table clothes, paper plates and cups with Halloween themed-designs etc…,) how do I create the same effect and be “green” at the same time? 

“There are a number of approaches you could consider:

1. Tell everyone that you’re getting tired of what you’ve always done and want to try some new ideas this year.  One might be to take an old sheet or purchase a solid color table cloth from a thrift store.  Give everyone bits of black, green and orange fabric, tassels etc, needle and thread and have everyone sew on some shapes.  These can be circles, squares, whatever is easy. The cloth can be washed and reused year after year.
2. Get a couple of neighbors together and hit a few thrift stores.  Purchase enough plates and cups in autumn colors for the gang.  We did this recently and the resulting table was spectacular.
3. If you do buy new Halloween-themed plates, be sure that you will keep and use them for many years to come.  If you can’t be sure, use compostable plates instead.
4. Get a group together prior to Halloween.  Let them know you are concerned about the health of your families.  Share some statistics with them.  Don’t try to force them, but ask if they’d be willing to consider  some changes this year.  Getting their buy-in even to do one or two things, is a start.  Trying to shove ‘green’ down their throats will only antagonize them.  When they see the reasons behind what you are trying to do, they may come on board.  Often people want to do the right thing but they don’t know what is required.  Help open their eyes to the possibilities.  Make this discussion fun.  Reinforce the positives.”

 

• Franklin would like to know:  How do I convince my wife that kids will like “treasures” (non-food items) just as much as treats?  She just shakes her head and won’t even consider trying it.  Also, she thinks that giving kids a handful of candy instead of just one piece will make the neighborhood kids like us more.  Again, how do I convince her that it’s ok not to buy the bags and bags of candy we usually get and just give out once piece of candy at a time.

 

“Let her conduct her own study.  Purchase some non-food treasures.  Offer each child a choice this year, a treasure or a treat.  See what happens.  Or how about offering a treat and a treasure?  Maybe she would be willing to consider organic candy or honey sticks (if you haven’t tried it, you’ll be amazed at how much kids like honey sticks) in place of conventional candy.  This alone is a great step.  You might also look for candy sold in bulk - at least you’re eliminating some waste (the outer packaging).  If she’s willing, ask her to take a look at these facts.   Knowing the truth about the health and welfare of this generation of children is sobering and may be the motivation your wife is looking for.”

 

• Ling would like to know:  Chinese New Year is a big celebration for our family and friends.  We attend many parties and take part in several traditions.  How do we make these events green?  How do I convince my parents, aunts, and uncles that change is ok, better?

   

“We believe in two keys to helping people change.  One is modeling behaviors you’d like to see change and the second is to make it fun.  Rather than lecturing, throwing out statistics or sharing our opinions about how wasteful our traditions are, we think about how we can show our friends and relatives that celebrating green can be a great way to go.”

 

“For instance, we don’t announce that we won’t be using paper plates at our 4^thof July picnic.  We simply bring out the regular dishes, place a large tub on a table filled with water and ask everyone to deposit their plates in it.  Instead of providing bottled water, we fill festive jugs with tap water.  In place of wrapping gifts in paper, we use cloth (learn how to wrap gifts beautifully in Furoshiki, directions are in our book.)  Instead of purchasing plastic toys for gifts, we offer well-made or handmade items or experiences like day trips or live theater.  Every aspect of any holiday or celebration can be made greener when we stop beforehand and think about ways to do it.”

 

“If you are attending a party and are bringing a hostess gift, make sure it’s an eco-friendly one that is either unwrapped or enveloped in a reusable cloth.  Wine?  Choose organic or biodynamic.  See if it makes a difference to taste when you convert some beloved holiday recipes to using organic, fresh and/or local ingredients.  These are small, subtle changes, but they are first steps.”

 

“In our experience, this approach works because we’re taking the lead.  We’re not imposing our views on others, but gently leading them.  If they ask why, of course we explain.  If not, we just keep our little secret.  It’s interesting to see how often others follow.”

 

• Finally, I would like to know:  Do you have any suggestions for organizing a progressive  Halloween party in my neighborhood.  The mere mention of the idea has my neighbors scratching their heads.

“Our website and book, Celebrate Green!,  offer guides to throwing a eek-o friendly party that involves four homes.  But you can create your own fabulously festive event by coming up with one activity and one food item for each home regardless of how many are involved.  Activities can be crafts like decorating bags, making masks, making cards to be donated for next year to a senior center or children’s hospital, games like pin the hat on the witch, bobbing for apples or hide and seek for treats.  There are lots of fun recipes on the Internet for Halloween foods.  Try to make them as healthy as possible either by eliminating or exchanging ingredients.  For instance, use real foods rather than packaged goods.  Buy local and organic when possible.”

 

Thank you, Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson.  To purchase your own copy of  “Celebrate Green!,”  visit the Celebrate Green! site, Amazon,  A Toy Garden or Village Green Gifts. 

Just in time for the holiday season, “Celebrate Green!” a guide to creating eco-savvy holidays, celebrations and traditions for the entire family is here.  This wonderful resource, written by mother and daughter team Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson, is packed with practical, fun and inexpensive ways to make your holiday events and celebrations healthier and environmentally-friendly.

What makes this book different from all the other “green” resources out there is that it breaks down the common misconceptions that being green is expensive, difficult, time consuming and a fad that will fade away like mood rings and feathered hair.  With their six essential guidelines for planning any celebration, you will be able to:

• Turn Family Traditions Into Green Traditions With Little or No Money
• Make or Find Earth-Friendly Gifts That Everyone Will Love
• Decorate Naturally
• Transform Your Holiday Activities, Games and Recipes Into an Eco-Friendly Celebration

Divided by seasons, “Celebrate Green!”  covers all the usual holidays like Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas in addition to Cinco de Mayo, Passover, Diwali, Hanukkah and Kwanza.  The authors also give you tips on greening baby showers, graduations, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, family reunions and parties.  This is the kind of resource that you can use year around.

What’s my favorite part of this book?  It makes me think beyond reusable gift bags and compostable tableware.  It makes me think beyond the 3 R’s - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.  It makes me think about the choices I make every day not just during the holidays. 

In “Celebrate Green!” the authors introduce us to the 3 G’s:

• Good For People - Making the healthiest choices for our family, our friends and our planet makes good sense but wait, there’s more.

“Meeting the ‘good for people’ criteria also means good for the people who come into play long before a product reaches your hands (or mouth).  The people who grow, make or manufacture items are often left out of the Earth-friendly equation, and yet what’s good for the planet is often good for them as well.”

Do your research before you purchase a product and find out if the way it is grown or manufactured can cause harm to people.

• Good For The Planet - I buy organic and free-trade so I am good, right?  Maybe.  That is, if you have chosen an organic product that utilizes petroleum-free packaging.

“Petroleum-free packaging is generally preferable to plastic packaging made from fossil fuels because (1) oil is not a sustainable resource; (2) plastic packaging can contaminate products, especially food products with toxic chemical residue; and (3) some plastics are non-recyclable (or are simply not recycled) and end up in landfills where they continue to leach into groundwater and don’t bio- or photo-degrade for hundreds of years or more.”

Not only make smart choices about the products you buy but investigate how the items are packaged.

• Good For The Community - Throughout the book, the authors state that what is good for the Earth is often good for people and for our communities.  Ask yourself if the company that manufactures the treats you will be doling out this Halloween contributes a percentage of it’s revenue to a non-profit organization. 

“Other ways companies can give back to their communities are to contribute large numbers of products to families in underprivileged neighborhoods, encourage their employees to volunteer in the community on company time, or sponsor community-based events and movements such as Green Halloween.”

 

This year, I am not only going to be using the ideas in “Celebrate Green!” to transform my holidays into healthier and more environmentally-friendly celebrations but I am going to be giving copies of “Celebrate Green!” to my friends and family as gifts.  I know they will love it, use it and hopefully pass it on to inspire others to “Celebrate Green!”  To purchase your own copy of  “Celebrate Green!,”  visit the Celebrate Green! site, Amazon,  A Toy Garden or Village Green Gifts. 

If you have suggestions, ideas or your own green holiday traditions that you would like to share, please post a comment.

Corey Colwell-Lipson, creator of Green Halloween  and co-author of the book  Celebrate Green!,  has seven steps to help you get started creating your own green Halloween:

• Give less.  Kids tend to value things more when they are given the opportunity to choose one special treat.  “We need to cross the Great Green Divide and realize that being sustainable doesn’t have to be expensive,” points out Colwell-Lipson.  Green Halloween  offers an extensive list of healthy and affordable treats and treasures including organic lollipops and pencils made from recycled money.

• Create imaginative costumes.  “Not only do pre-made costumes and accessories rob kids of their creativity but they can contain toxic chemicals like lead, PVC and phthalates,” says Colwell-Lipson. Help your kids create the costumes of their dreams by reusing materials found at thrift stores, yard sales or around your house. If you do purchase a costume, buy 100% natural materials that can be used year-around for dress-up.

• Compost your decorations.  According to the EPA, over 25% of the methane gas that is produced in landfills comes from food scraps that could be composted.  Decorate naturally with corn stalks, pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn, colorful beans and nuts.  After the holiday is over, cook the items that are edible and compost the rest.  Colwell-Lipson suggests, “If you don’t have a city-wide composting program, talk to your city officials about creating one.”

• Start small.  Don’t get overwhelmed by trying to green every aspect of your Halloween celebration.  “Any change you make is progress towards creating a healthier holiday for your family,” explains Colwell-Lipson.  Begin by crafting your own reusable trick-or-treat bags rather than purchasing plastic bags.  According to EPA statistics, over 380 billion plastic bags are consumed in the U.S.each year. These bags don’t biodegrade, they photodegrade breaking down into pieces that contaminate soil, waterways and our food chain.

• Celebrate in your neighborhood.  “Planning green neighborhood events or simply trick-or-treating in your own neighborhood builds community while saving gas,”says Colwell-Lipson.  Inspire your friends and neighbors to stay home and celebrate by planning a progressive party, a costume exchange or a neighborhood parade.

• Get your kids involved.Colwell-Lipson recommends asking your kids how they would like to celebrate Halloween. “Older kids can implement their own ideas while parents can assist younger children in creating the Halloween of their choice.”  Parents will feel less overwhelmed if the entire family is involved.

• Be positive:  “Parents are the role models for their children,”points out Colwell-Lipson.  “If you feel passionate about the changes you are making in your life, your children will be inspired by your passion and your holiday will be fun and successful.”  Skip the sugary treats and focus on being healthy for yourself and your kids.  Start a new Halloween tradition.  Introduce your kids to The Great Pumpkin or The Halloween Fairy.  Allow them to keep the healthy treats from their trick-or-treating haul and put the rest into a bowl to be composted later.  Tell your children the story of “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” or create your own tale about a fairy who turns candy into fruits and vegetables. After your children fall asleep, exchange the candy for a small gift and rest assured that you have created a healthy, sustainable Halloween.

Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family.  The book can be purchased at the Celebrate Green! site, on Amazon,  A Toy Garden and Village Green Gifts. If you have questions you would like to ask Corey Colwell-Lipson or Lynn Colwell this week, please post a comment. 

As stewards of the Earth and parents, it’s important for us to create wonderful Halloween memories for our children without the environmental nightmares.  Corey Colwell-Lipson agrees which is why she launched the Green Halloween  movement.

The idea began one October evening in Seattle when Colwell-Lipson took her children trick-or-treating.  She was excited to find that some people were thinking outside the candy box giving out bubbles and stickers.  She began to think that if these houses had a sign on their doors to let families know that they were giving out non-food items, trick-or-treating might become a real treasure hunt.  Acting on this idea and her environmentalist principles, she created Green Halloween  to help families establish healthy and sustainable Halloween traditions.

Green Halloween, offers imaginative and inexpensive ideas for:

• Healthy Treats and Treasures
• Safe Costumes
• Environmentally-Friendly Parties
• A PDF of the Green Halloween Logo (to create your own yard signs)

and much more. 

In only their second year of existence, Green Halloween has become an official program of Treeswing, a Seattle area non-profit committed to promoting children’s health through nutrition and exercise.

Go green this Halloween with a little help from Green Halloween.  Download the neighborhood action kit  from Green Halloween  and learn how to inspire your friends, neighbors, local schools and community to organize healthy and environmentally-friendly Halloween events.  I was so inspired by Corey and the Green Halloween site that I am working with my friends and neighbors to create a progessive trick-or-treating event in my own neighborhood this year.  I will let you know how that goes in future posts.

You can also show your support by entering your address and zip code as a green house on the interactive map.

Look for Corey’s Seven Steps To Creating Your Own Green Halloween in tomorrow’s post and a review of her new book, Celebrate Green! co-authored by Lynn Colwell, later this week.  If you have questions you would like to ask Corey Colwell-Lipson or Lynn Colwell this week, please post a comment.

Each year in October the EPA celebrates Children’s Health Month by creating educational materials and activities focused on protecting children from environmental hazards.  For 2008, the EPA has created a calendar  with an environmental health tip for each day in October.  Tips include:

• Protect Children From Too Much Sun Exposue
• Join International Walk To School Day
• Promote Food Safety
• Protect Children From Chemicals At School
• Improve Indoor Air Quality In Schools
• Protect Children From Mold

The Challenge: 

This year,  Healthy Child Healthy World  has also created a  calendar of tips for the month of October to help you establish a healthy environment for your family.  They are challenging families to complete as many of their suggested tips as possible.

To enter this challenge:  Go to the Healthy Child Healthy World blog  and post your answers to the following questions during the first week of November:

1. How many days of the month did you follow the tip?
2. Which were your favorites?
3. Which ones didn’t you do and why?

According to the Healthy Child Healthy World  website:

“Everyone who submits answers will be entered into a drawing to receive an, as of yet, undefined prize.  Maybe a copy of Healthy Child Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home, maybe a gift from a Healthy Child Healthy World partner, maybe a used bowling trophy from the thrift store down the street.  I know, it’s terribly un-coordinated, but, hey, you’re doing it to protect your children’s health, not for the prize, right?”

I don’t know about you folks, but our family is going to accept the challenge.  If you decide to accept the challenge, post a comment and let me know how you progress.

This Halloween, think outside the candy box.  Make healthy, delicious treats for your friends and family.  This recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins was sent to me by Talia Fox.

Ingredients:

• 1 2/3 C Flour
• 1/4 C sugar
• 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder (aluminum free)
• 2 organic eggs
• 1/2 C organic apple sauce 
• 1 C organic pumpkin puree 
• 1/2 C organic (70%) chocolate chips  

Mix all ingredients together.  Scoop batter into muffin tin.  Bake at 350 degrees for 14 minutes until done.

Looking for a fun and goopy Halloween craft for the entire family?  Make some Boo Goo.

Submitted by freelance writer and former science teacher, Laura Bridgwater.  This recipe for ectoplasm combines:

• four ounces of white liquid school glue
• two ounces of liquid StaFlo starch

The proportion of ingredients is two parts glue to one part starch.  

1. Pour the liquid glue into the bowl.
2. Slowly add the starch to the glue as you stir.
3. When the mixture begins to ball, take it out of the bowl and knead it with your hands.
4. If the mixture begins to stick to your fingers, add a few drops of liquid starch.
5. The Boo Goo is ready when it doesn’t stick to your hands and your hands are dry.
6. Store individual amounts of Boo Goo in Ziploc bags. It will keep in the refrigerator for a week.

Boo Goo is easy to make, but don’t decorate with it or let it rest on cloth, carpet, or other fabrics. 

“My kids love to color their Boo Goo with washable, non-toxic markers; blow bubbles in it with straws and see how far they can stretch it.  It’s fun to make a fresh batch of Boo Goo for Halloween or after reading Dr. Seuss’s Bartholomew and the Oobleck.”

-Laura

First thing this morning, my daughter ran into our bedroom yelling, “Wake up, it’s Halloween month!”  Halloween around our house isn’t just a minor holiday, it’s a month-long celebration of the Fall season.  In honor of Halloween month, I will be posting Green Halloween features throughout October including:

• Green Halloween Activity Ideas For The Entire Neighborhood
• Recipes for Healthy Treats
• An Interivew Article with Corey Colwell-Lipson, founder of  Green Halloween
• Guest Posts
• A Book Review of  Celebrate Green  by Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell
• Question and Answers about Creating Sustainable Holidays from the authors of  Celebrate Green

Please go ahead and post your Green Halloween questions for Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell to answer during the week of October 6th which I am declaring Celebrate Green week here at Green Paige.  Have a wonderful Halloween month.