From the CTKG Cabinet: Satvik's Tips for Eco-Friendly Halloween Celebrations!

Hello, my name is Satvik Nog and I am a member of the 2022 Kid Governor's Cabinet with the platform of Climate Change. 

If you celebrate Halloween, you know that it's coming up soon on Monday, October 31! But did you know that a recent report from NPR's Marketplace found that Halloween is responsible for a huge rise in waste, with 2,000 tons of Halloween plastic (from costumes, decorations, and sweet wrappers) bought and thrown away due to celebrations?

Keeping this fact in mind, here are 5 different eco-friendly ways to celebrate Halloween!

1. Make your own decorations!
Avoid plastic decorations this Halloween. Instead, plan fun activities with your family and friends and create artwork using eco-friendly recyclable materials like tin foils, paper bags, and cardboard. I really enjoyed making milk carton ghost lanterns with my sister!

2. Make your own costumes instead of buying them!
Costumes are a huge source of waste after Halloween, as most people end up discarding their costumes after the holiday is over. Try using your DIY skills to make the best costume possible, and if you used a costume that doesn't fit you anymore, consider donating it to someone in need.

3. Decorate your own bags for trick-or-treating!
Rather than using plastic buckets, you can use reusable bags, like tote bags or pillowcases, for trick-or-treating. Even better, you could decorate your paper bag with paints, eco sequins and fabric pens to make them Halloween-themed, which can be a great activity!

4. Be strategic about your pumpkin use!
Can you imagine Halloween without a jack-o'-lantern? I definitely can’t. While pumpkins are a Halloween staple, if not put to good use, they can contribute to a huge amount of waste. The scary part is that nearly 12.8 million pumpkins are thrown away each year!!! Buy local pumpkins, enjoy the delicious seeds, and use the flesh to make soup. Doesn't that sound yummy?

5. Plan eco-friendly Halloween parties using recyclable glass and containers!
If your party involves trick-or-treating, carpooling with friends certainly decreases emissions due to transportation. 

I hope you will follow these simple tips for enjoying an eco-friendly Halloween. Thanks for reading, and have a great Halloween!!!

Satvik Nog

2022 Kid Governor's Cabinet 

Middlebury/Southbury

My Library Circuit and the 2022 Kids Convention

Hello, my name is Makhi and I am your 2022 Connecticut's Kid Governor. In today's blog post I will be talking about what I have been doing as Kid Governor lately! 

One thing I've done this fall is my Library Circuit, where I traveled to different libraries across the state and spoke about my experience as the 2022 Connecticut's Kid Governor. I went to 6 different libraries in September: 

1. The Windsor Public Library (with Elizabeth Becker from my Cabinet!)
2. The Silas Bronson Library (with Satvik Nog from my Cabinet!)
3. The Easton Public Library
4. The Hamden Public Library
5. The Groton Public Library
6. And the Waterford Public Library (with Madelyn Sweet from my Cabinet!)

I gave a speech at each stop where I talked about my Protecting Our Pets platform, the work I've done on each of my three points, and some of the cool experiences I've had so far during my term as Kid Governor. I also got to meet a lot of new people, like different state and local government officials. It was so much fun to talk with everybody! You can see more information about each stop, including photos and recordings of my speeches, by clicking here!

Another thing I've done recently was attend the 2022 Kids Convention at Stepping Stones Museum. Elizabeth Becker, Madelyn Sweet, Olivia Campbell, and Satvik Nog from my Cabinet joined me! At the convention, we participated in a question-and-answer panel discussion where we got to talk with the audience. It was so fun and we got lots of questions. I love talking about my platform and all the hard work that my Cabinet and I have done this year! 

We also got to see some of the other presenters at the Kids Convention. One of the speakers was named Renata Bowers. She's a children's book author who lives in Connecticut! Her book series is called "Frieda B." It is about a girl who can be herself. Ms. Bowers read us parts of her books and talked about how kids can make the world a better place. That message is very important and connects to all the things I've been doing during my term as Kid Governor! 

How can you make the world a better place? Remember to be yourself and to (P.O.P), Protect our Pets!

 

Makhi Ettienne-Modeste

2022 Kid Governor 

Windsor