While it’s probably less likely to think of the candy itself actually getting “wasted,” the wrappers and candy bags do pile up as massive waste. Consider the fact that, according to Nielsen.com, we Americans buy approximately 598 million pounds of candy (that’s about $1.9 billion dollars). That’s a heck of a lot of plastic wrap and wrappers, not to mention that all of that candy ends up in trucks hauling it cross-country to be sold in supermarkets. There’s a huge carbon footprint connected with the delivery alone. So, what can you do here? For starters, you can opt for locally produced or your own homemade treats. Though, be wary, there can be issues with handing out foodie items that are not food safety inspected and improved. The safest, smartest option to satisfy trick-or-treaters is to offer fun, sustainably made non-food treats like stickers, pencils made from recycled denim, handmade bracelets, hand-carved small tops, etc. And, if you are stuck with a whole bunch of candy wrappers or want to be the one to collect them, you can send them off to the Candy Wrapper Brigade, an awesome movement of Terracycle to recycle them and make fun stuff like backpacks and purses. Not only do you help cut down on waste, for every wrapper you send in, you can donate 2 cents to a non-profit of your choice.