Be-leaf You Can Make a Difference! Small Ways to Have an Environmentally Conscious Fall

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Pumpkin spice lattes, changing leaves, and cozy sweaters. Fall brings plenty of simple joys. But while we sip, stroll, and decorate, it’s easy to overlook how seasonal habits can contribute to increased waste and energy consumption. The good news? You don’t have to give up what you love to live sustainably. A few mindful choices can help you enjoy everything fall has to offer, without leaving a heavy footprint. Here are 5 things you can do this fall to save energy, reduce waste, and give back to the environment that cares for you!

1. Leave the Leaves

Ever heard of the “Leave the Leaves” campaign? In short, it is an environmentally conscious effort to stop the removal of leaves from the soil. This includes discouraging clearing yards, roadsides, and public greenery like parks. 

Raking and bagging leaves might make lawns look tidy, but it actually disrupts natural cycles. This is because the leaves are great compost for the soil. Leaves act as a free mulch and compost, returning nutrients to the soil as they break down. They’re also home to a ton of beneficial critters who depend on the leaves! From the checkerspot butterflies to the humble earthworms, many of these critters provide nutrients to feed the plants when they come again in the spring. 

By skipping the leaf blower and letting nature handle the cleanup, you save energy, reduce noise pollution, and help your local ecosystem thrive. So next time you’re tempted to rake, remember: messy lawns are healthier lawns. Why not save the energy and labor? You'll be preserving the homes and food for the critters that keep your local ecosystem healthy.

2. Composting

Has your jack-o-lantern been looking a bit droopy? Has it been sitting out for several weeks? It may be time to dispose of your festive decorations. This is your sign to make a plan for your masterpiece when it's past its prime. Once Halloween passes, pumpkins often end up in the garbage, but they don’t belong there! A drooping jack-o’-lantern is more than just a decoration; it’s valuable organic matter that can be returned to the earth. Pumpkins decompose quickly and make excellent compost or garden fertilizer.

Don’t leave your jack-o-lantern out for too long, as they can often attract bears and other foragers while still fresh, and are a host to a variety of bugs and molds when they sit out. You can give them back to the soil in a controlled way, ensuring the nutrients go where they’re needed most. If you have your own compost, break those pumpkin chunks and add them in; if not, make sure they’re put away in your municipal Green Bin.

And pumpkins aren’t the only fall waste worth composting! All those apple cores, pie crust scraps, vegetable peels, and even crushed eggshells from your seasonal baking can go straight into the compost, too. These everyday kitchen leftovers break down into nutrient-rich soil, helping next year’s garden grow strong. By composting what’s left from your cozy cooking sessions, you keep organic waste out of landfills and close the loop on fall’s harvest cycle.

3. Leaf Confetti

If you’re hosting a fall party or decorating for the season, skip the store-bought glitter and paper confetti, and make your own from real leaves instead! A hole puncher or small scissors can turn fallen leaves into colorful, fully biodegradable decorations. It’s a fun craft for kids and adults alike, and it cuts down on plastic waste. Plus, when you’re done, you can simply return your creations to the compost pile or garden.

By resisting the push to consume more and instead appreciating what’s already around us, we reduce waste, save money, and reconnect with what makes autumn special in the first place: gratitude, thoughtful sharing, and community. This fall, let’s make a little less waste and add something thoughtful and personal to your festivities.

4. Sweater Weather

Cooler weather doesn’t have to mean cranking up the thermostat. Layer up with your favorite sweaters and blankets before turning on the heat. If you’re anything like me, you’ll bundle up like a burrito to be nice and cozy. Even lowering your thermostat by a couple of degrees can significantly reduce energy use.

Fall is also a great time to refresh your wardrobe sustainably. Before buying new clothes, check out thrift stores or clothing swaps. You’ll save money, reduce textile waste, and maybe even find some vintage treasures perfect for the sweater weather.

5. Candy Wrappers

Halloween candy is a staple of the season, but the wrappers? The unfortunate reality is that most candy wrappers are made from mixed materials that can’t be recycled through regular systems. Purely tin or aluminum wrappers can be bunched into balls and recycled at specialized recycling facilities. 

But it's not quite hopeless for the wreckage of your candy-eating rampage. Wrappers have many crafty uses. My favorite is to use them as scrapbook material. Add texture, fun colors, and text to any page by sticking your wrappers into a collage. Please make sure to clean your wrappers by rinsing and drying them first; you wouldn’t want all your effort to grow mold or attract any bugs. 

Using wrappers to decorate paper and printouts can be a great activity for young children. Grabbing and gluing wrappers can be a great way to practice pincer grasp and strength for toddlers. You can make candy wrapper butterflies! Twist wrappers to form bows and attach pipe cleaners for the body and antennae. For younger toddlers, simply twisting the wrappers can be a great fine motor skill exercise. With a bit more dexterity and patience, you can also braid, knot, or attach wrappers for garlands and chains.