The spooky season is upon us! Over the next few weeks you may start to see terrifyingly tall skeletons, blood-sucking bats, and the menacing mugs of jack-o-lanterns 'round every corner. If so inclined, you may even be covering your own haunted house with these decorations and more, including artificial spider webs.

While great at adding to the atmosphere of the holiday, this decoration in particular ought to send shivers down your spine-for the wrong reasons. Many of these webs you'll find are made out of a polyester-like material, which is a petroleum-based product. These webs can contribute to plastic pollution and increase demand for petroleum resources. For a more sustainable choice, grab some cotton-based gauze and tear it up for that cursed-tomb look!

Another chilling concern about artificial cobwebs, regardless of their materials, lies with animal safety. Birds and other small critters often do not have the strength to break out of these traps when they get entangled, so be sure to think carefully and put your webs out of the flight or crawling path of these small creatures!

While you might remember what costume you wore last year, do you remember where it went when you were done? Many people throw them out or lose them in storage; try digging through your old costumes and putting them up on a neighborhood swap page so they can find another life-you might just find one that catches your own eye!

Enjoy your haunted Halloween this year with sustainability and animal safety in mind, and do not forget to compost your wonderful pumpkin decorations!