Need a free Halloween costume?

Halloween is scary enough without spending a fortune on costumes that your kids only wear once. So how would like to get your child's costume for free?

Choosing a Halloween costume is an exciting time for children, and while they may be as cute as a button, even when they're supposed to be scary, costumes are kind of a one trick pony.

"If you think about it, Halloween is a very consumption oriented holiday. And I'm guilty of this as a parent myself. We buy a costume for our kids, they wear it one time and then it's discarded," said Jason West of the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center.

But instead of throwing it away, West wants you to bring it in to their costume swap at the center.

"People can bring a costume in that their children are finished. They can take home a costume that will be new to them for this season. And it's just better for the environment, it's better for the pocketbook and it's just all around good," explained West.

Recycling costumes isn't the only way to think outside the box during Halloween. West says while candy is a Halloween staple, there are some other treats you can hand out.

"Think about things like stickers, crayons, granola bars and even honey sticks, which are a great alternative treat for kids and it's just a little something different," said West.

Kids will have fun, and Halloween does provide lifelong memories. Making these small changes could make a big difference.

"Just to make people think a little differently and to have a Halloween or a Hallo-green that's just a little bit more friendly for the environment and better for people," said West.

You can swap costumes at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center every Saturday until Halloween. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It's free of charge, and they just ask that the costume be in gently used condition.