How to Have a Zero Waste Easter!

Hey earth muffins! I can’t believe that Lent is almost over and Easter is around the corner… I am SO ready for some spring weather. Winter is tough for me in terms of work and seasonal depression; having some sunshine and warmer temperatures is going to make my life much better. 😊 With Easter just around the corner, many people are making plans on how they are going to celebrate. So, when you and your loved ones are deciding this, opt for an eco-friendly Easter this year! As I’ve done for many other holidays, here are my tips for having an amazing, zero waste Easter! 🐰

Stream the Easter Vigil or Mass online.

While many people are getting the vaccine, it is important to stay safe this holiday. Church services are central to many celebrations of Easter, so see if your church has a live stream service online. You can still dress up in your best spring fashion, but you can opt out of a mask (unless, of course, your family decides that masks should still be worn). The cathedral I attend has been live streaming their services for years even before the pandemic, so I will be tuning into their Mass with my family. ⛪

Thrift your Easter decor (including eggs!)

I’m always amazed at the cute holiday decor I can find at my local thrift stores. I’m not one to have a ton of holiday decor around the apartment, but I’ll definitely put up a bunny or two. Shopping secondhand is a great way to reduce your impact on the planet. Plus, you can find some unique treasures that no one else has! 🐇 One of my favorite local thrifts had bags of plastic Easter eggs too – perfect for any Easter egg hunt! If you can’t find secondhand eggs, opt for wooden ones instead of plastic.

Reuse your Easter basket every year – and thrift it!

Even when it isn’t springtime, baskets are everywhere in thrift, secondhand, and antique stores. Find a cute one and then reuse it every year for the Easter Bunny’s treats! If it isn’t too spring-colored, you can even use it around the house until it is needed for the holiday. I remember using the same basket every year growing up, and it was super fun to bring it out each year when we were decorating for the holiday. If you are gifted other baskets from family and friends, find a good use for them as well – don’t just toss or donate!

Choose bulk candy and/or avoid plastic packaging.

The bulk bins are my favorite – and you can find some delicious treats to fill up Easter baskets! Not only is bulk bin shopping easy, it reduces a ton of packaging if you bring your own bags to fill. If you don’t have a lot of candy options in bulk, you can fill Easter eggs with special notes, drawings, money, or little secondhand trinkets. Depending on your bulk bins, you might not have any candy options… If that is true, buy large bags of candy that aren’t individually packaged to save on waste. 🙌

Avoid plastic Easter grass!

Even as a kid, I hated Easter grass. It got in the way of my precious Easter candy and got EVERYWHERE. Now, I hate it because it is super wasteful and bad for the planet. Opt for paper grass or cloth stuffing materials, reuse the Easter grass you already have, or just use no grass. Your basket will be just as pretty if it is a zero waste Easter one!

Dye eggs with natural dyes.

There are a bunch of ways to dye your eggs in a natural way. If you don’t want to go through all of the trouble, see if your secondhand store has dye kits. I saw a bunch at my local thrift store – just make sure the expiration date is okay! You could also skip the dyes and use brown eggs and paint markers instead!

Go meatless and skip the ham.

After being vegetarian for over a year, the meat I miss the most is my mom’s Easter ham… BUT, save the planet and go meatless for your Easter dinner! This year, my mom got me a “ham” from the brand Tofurky… So get creative and figure out how to have a delicious vegetarian feast as well! Be conscious of the amount of food too, and do your part to reduce food waste!

Stream your favorite Easter films.

My family seems to have movies to watch for each holiday. We always watch It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (affiliate link) and Here Comes Peter Cottontail (affiliate link) for Easter! If you also have a similar tradition, stream your Easter movies as you eat some of your bulk candy or make popcorn from bulk kernels!

Get your Easter dress secondhand!

I’ve always been a fan of cute spring dresses, so it was always fun to get super dressed up for Easter. Hit up your local thrift stores and find some super cute pieces to wear. Or, rent a dress online from sites like Rent the Runway. If your family is into Easter bonnets, try DIYing yours this year! 😍

Overall, it isn’t that difficult to have a zero waste Easter – you just have to be mindful of the waste your celebration is creating. I hope everyone is planning to celebrate in a safe, eco-friendly way, and I bet the Easter Bunny (and Easter Beagle) won’t forget to stop at your house! 😊 Happy Easter!

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