About Green Halloween®
In 2006, I took my six-year-old princess and two-year-old fairy (I know…) trick-or-treating. While most of the neighborhood handed out the requisite Tootsie Rolls and M ‘n M’s , a few homes placed non-candy treats like bubbles and stickers in my girls’ pumpkins. I was so thrilled that someone thought outside the candy-box, that while shouting, “Thank You!” at the top of my lungs, I made a note to myself to remember to trick-or-treat at these homes the following year. But after winding through several streets in the dark, I had already forgotten which homes were candy-free. I mentioned to a nearby parent, “Wouldn’t it be great if there were a sign you could place on your door or window that notified trick-or-treaters that their upcoming treat would be healthy?” This way, parents could seek out those homes and turn trick-or-treating into a scavenger hunt – a hunt for treasures rather than treats.
I began thinking about Halloween as a whole and about how it is hard to find treats that are kid healthy. Some parents I know spend weeks researching where to find affordable, kid-friendly, and for some, Earth-friendly treats. But most parents don’t have the time, inclination or money to seek out alternatives to conventional candy. They may not like offering traditional candy, but what other options do they have? Wouldn’t it be terrific if affordable, kid and Earth-healthy treats and treasures were available everywhere?
What began as a conversation with my local Whole Foods Market store (in Bellevue, Washington) quickly turned into a movement with other organizations and businesses wanting to take part in making Halloween healthier and safer for our children and for the environment. Within weeks, Overlake Hospital and ParentMap Magazine joined Whole Foods Market and me. Parents from all over the Puget Sound began contacting me to find out how they could bring Green Halloween to their neighborhoods. Merchandisers began asking if they could put the Green Halloween logo on their items and even better, everyone involved has said, “Yes!” to helping a local non-profit partner by donating money to their cause: improving the heath of children through nutrition and exercise.
Green Halloween’s success in 2007 proved that people are ready to update Halloween and so in 2008, we used the model we created in Seattle to bring Green Halloween nation-wide. By 2009, Green Halloween official cities included Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Tampa, Daytona Beach and New York City. By 2013, the revolution included over 80 events, reaching over one million people coast to coast. Since launch, we have reached millions in person and distributed over four million units of healthier goodies to cities nationwide!
It’s incredibly exciting to be involved in Green Halloween and through it, to help bring communities together. We’re also hoping that this initiative will support a larger goal--to create affordable and accessible ways to bridge commerce and environmentalism during traditionally un-eco-friendly holidays. With time, we expect that the ideas we generate will inspire parents to create green traditions during all holidays from birthdays to Christmas. Halloween is just the beginning.
We hope that Green Halloween® will inspire YOU to think outside the candy-box®. We are dedicated to offering fun, healthy, affordable, not-too-time consuming ideas that will support your goal of creating a Halloween that is happy and healthy for your kids and the planet we all share.
Please feel free to e-mail us with your ideas and don’t forget to register with our site so that you can watch the green grow.
About Our Non-Profit, EcoMom Alliance
In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom Alliance, a 501 (c) 3 with members worldwide. EcoMom Alliance works to inspire and empower women to reduce global warming and propel an environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable future. To do this, EcoMom Alliance utilizes the historically proven power of education, mothers and community action, and in this way create a global network of change leaders - an EcoMom Alliance.About Our Founder & Director, Corey Colwell-Lipson
In addition to launching Green Halloween, Corey co-founded The Green Year™, LLC and co-authored Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family with her amazing mom, Lynn Colwell. Corey is a licensed marital and family therapist specializing in the transition to parenthood and is a wife and the mother of two children ages seven and four.
Contact CoreyAbout Our Co-founder and Director of PR/Marketing, Lynn Colwell
Lynn Colwell is Corey's mom, co-author and collaborator in Celebrate Green!® ventures including Green Halloween®. She spent much of her career in corporate communications, public relations and writing and is now joyfully engaged in leading the efforts to spread the word and engage millions of people in celebrating green, especially for Halloween. Lynn has been married for 41 years and has two grown children in addition to Corey, and is the proud grandma (Abba) to four of the most awesome grandkids on the planet!
Contact Lynn
About Our Photographer, Holli Dunn
Holli Dunn began her photography business in 2006 when she longed to do
something she was passionate about, but also something that allowed her the
flexibility of staying home with her two daughters, ages five and seven. Her
interests include almost everything crafty, from cake decorating to handmade
cards. She volunteers regularly by co-leading her daughter's Brownies troop
and assisting the school PTSA.
Contact Holli
About Our Web Developer, Karissa Liloc
Karissa Liloc maintains the Green Halloween website and runs Liloc Studio in between spending time with her two young children and fabulous husband. She's finding ways to go "greener" at home and work on a regular basis and will happily be handing out treasures instead of treats this year at Halloween!
About the costumes on our site
Love the costumes featured on our adorable models? Most come from Sarah’s Silks and Magic Cabin. These costumes are so beautiful and so beloved by children that chances are your kids will want to use them all year long for imaginary play (and then will wear them again next Halloween!). Parents love them because they are made from safe and durable materials. Both Sarah’s Silks and Magic Cabin also sell plain silk cloths for unique, DIY costume designs.
