Phantoms and Vampires Lurk When You’re Not Looking

Does you home have phantoms and vampires?

Our friends at GreenHalloween.org told us that “Phantom Loads,” and “Energy Vampires” lurk because appliances and electronics drain energy just because they are plugged in. So when you’re not looking, these unnecessary nuisances release carbon into the environment. Now that’s got to be scary!

So when you’re not using them, make sure you unplug your toasters, IPODs and gizmo chargers. And ask your neighborhood hardware store about “smart” power strips that don’t feed unwanted energy suckers.

Save energy now…nobody wants Phantoms and Vampires after Halloween!

For more cool ideas about how to have a green Halloween, check out www.greenhalloween.org.

Go green this Halloween by creating a scary Green Monster Mask from recycled materials. Not only is it easy and fun, it’s a great way to use those bits and scraps of leftover stuff that you never know what to do with. Besides, it’ll make for some very cool art that you might just want to display well beyond the scary season!

What You Need

• A cardboard box, large enough to fit over your head but snug enough that it won’t move around too much.
• Paint
• Recycled decorations: cotton balls, used tissue wrap from old presents, leftover scraps of wrapping paper, used aluminum foil, used bubble wrap, fallen leaves etc.
• Glue
• Scissors

What To Do

Create a green base

• Paint the outside of the box your favorite shade of green.

Create Monster Features

• Paint on a scary face
• Glue an assortment of materials to the top and the sides of the cardboard box
• Use painted bubble wrap or fallen leaves for hair
• Twist aluminum foil into a pair of horns
• Cut tissue wrap into thin strips and use them for whiskers
• Cut odd sized teeth out of old scraps of wrapping paper
• Stick cotton balls together to create fuzzy ears

Mark the Eyes

• Place the mask on your head and have someone help you mark out the eyes; cut out the eye holes so you can see
• Become the Monster
• Wear the mask and become the monster
• If necessary, glue two pieces of string to the lower edges of the mask and tie these together under your chin to secure a tight fit

Tip: If you want to make a body to go with the mask, then follow the same instructions but with a large cardboard box in which you can cut out holes for the head and arms.

Bag the Bag! We took care of the Hufflebot Bags, but there are still a lot of bags out there.

The best way to spread an action is to show an action. Always use reusable bags! Always re-use the ones you’ve already got. Then share the word with your friends, your parents, and even your Uncle Hank.

Then once you and your family are using them, you can spread the word even more!