Green Halloween NYC, a school/community initiative, by The Green Year®, LLC and non-profit organizations HealthCorps and Action Arts League is scheduled for Saturday, October 31, 2009. This holiday event is an great resource to teach children about healthy living and having a healthy planet. The festival will be held in the heart of Nolita in Lower Manhattan. The group’s goal is to promote Halloween as a healthy and fun celebration that advocates “creativity over candy” and honors the three cornerstones of “green” – healthy people, healthy planet and healthy communities.
The Green Year, Action Arts League and HealthCorps, a health movement founded by heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz, have united this Halloween season to fight childhood obesity, diabetes and environmental degradation. Together, these organizations are working with community and school groups to demonstrate a “green” vision of Halloween by emphasizing the creative and theatrical aspects of the holiday, providing education on healthier treat alternatives and promoting ways to make all holidays more sustainable.
“Green Halloween promotes the positive aspects of Halloween and deglamorizes processed sugar candy during a holiday that has traditionally taught children, at the earliest stages of socialization, that candy is a ‘reward’ to be prized” says Green Halloween NYC Executive Producer Jim Glaser. “By encouraging healthy treats, creative performances and earth-friendly activities, we aim to spark new ideas about what Halloween means to our youth.”
“HealthCorps is making Halloween a fun and more substantial celebration for our students by showing them how the green movement touches so many aspects of their day,” said Michelle Bouchard, HealthCorps President. “We’re getting students to eat healthier snacks, including fresh fruits as treats, visit green markets and spend more time exercising in local parks.”
The Green Halloween Community Festival will be held on October 31, 2009 at DeSalvio Playground at Spring and Mulberry Streets in Nolita. Activities include eco-friendly art, performances, a healthy neighborhood “trick or treasure” trail, health-oriented exhibitor booths, interactive Halloween art and showcased costumes.
For those of you not in New York that want to have a greener Halloween check out the Green Halloween Market for your costumes and eco-friendly decor. You may also be interested in Celebrate Green, a book designed to teach people who to have eco-friendly holidays.
For additional details please visit www.GreenHalloweeNYC.org