Letters to the Editor: In an era of climate change, we’re doing Halloween wrong

To the editor: Your article on Halloween events mentions that the night’s festivities, as well as other holidays, have expanded into “season creep,” a term originally used to describe climate change. In light of the reality of climate change, Americans should begin to consider either eliminating the holiday or conducting a more sustainable one, because Halloween celebrations incur a lot of waste.

According to the National Retail Federation, Americans spent an estimated $10.6 billion this Halloween, including about $3 billion each for costumes, candy and decorations. Recycling organizations estimate that 85% of non-recyclable costumes are tossed into landfills, along with non-recyclable plastic costume wrappers, decorations and candy wrappers.

It’s time to consider that we can no longer maintain such wasteful use of resources in the era of climate change.

Bob Ladendorf, Los Angeles

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To the editor: Thank you for the op-ed article by Tod Goldberg about the full-size candy bars he received as a child at Halloween and is now doing the same for children of this generation. It made me feel like I had just bit into a full-size Baby Ruth and tasted the sweetness of the chocolate and nuts.

It this time of “nutty” dangerous people in search of political office and those currently seated, the sweetness of his story touched me, and I am sure many of your readers. Thank you for the treat.

Shirley Shatsky, Los Angeles

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To the editor: Alongside the usual gloomy op-ed pieces, how nice to see Goldberg’s sweet piece about houses that give full-size candy to trick-or-treaters. We do remember generous gestures, especially those that happen when we are kids.

Unfortunately, I bought bags of the mini “fun-size” candy bars for this year, but next year I plan to spring for full-size bars and hope to be remembered as a “full-size house.”

Elizabeth Hoffman, Rancho Palos Verdes