• The brochure "Celebrating Ecologically and Fairly" contains many suggestions and practical tips for greater sustainability—including for your carnival event. 
• Whether at school, privately, or in a club: your commitment will be rewarded! The "Sustainable Celebrations and Events" award is being presented for the first time with prize money totaling 3,500 euros. You can apply with your event until April 30, 2026.

Carnival makeup often contains questionable ingredients that can harm the environment and skin, especially in children. But no one has to go without the right makeup:

• use kajal, lipstick, or eyeshadow for carnival too.
• Look for certified natural cosmetics with seals such as NATRUE or BDIH.
• Inexpensive natural cosmetics are available as drugstore brands.
• Alternatively, you can easily make your own carnival makeup. The BUND recommends mixing baby cream with starch for white color or with food coloring. This allows you to create large areas as well as colorful animals or fantasy creatures with a brush and sponge.

Cheap costumes are manufactured under questionable conditions, often contain harmful substances, travel long distances, and are often only worn once. Here's a better option:

• Over the years, many families have accumulated a considerable collection of costumes. With a few small changes, older costumes can be spruced up and worn for another season.
• How about a costume swap with friends? A small private carnival party is the perfect occasion for this.
• Secondhand stores and flea markets often offer colorful and unique costumes. The OXFAM shop at Dotzheimer Straße 19 and the secondhand department store Fast wie neu at Otto-Wallach-Straße 16 also offer costumes.

With a little creativity and a lot of fun, you can create real eye-catchers in no time. Here are three tried-and-tested ideas from employees at the environmental store:

• Kitty cat or tomcat: Choose black and white clothing and tuck a stuffed black sock into the waistband of your skirt or pants to serve as a tail. Glue triangular ears made of cardboard or fabric remnants to a headband. Add the tip of the nose and whiskers with kohl or homemade makeup.
• Gardener: Combine dungarees or jeans with a green or checked shirt and a neckerchief. Gloves, a watering can, rubber boots, or a small shovel complete the costume. A straw hat, a painted flower on the cheek, or twigs from the garden make the outfit perfect.
• Wellness queen or king: Apply white, homemade makeup to your face. The "quark mask" is complemented by homemade "cucumber slices" made of paper. A colorful scarf or randomly placed curlers in your hair, as well as a bathrobe and slippers, complete the perfect wellness look.

Traveling by bus and train is relaxed, safe, and climate-friendly.

• From Weiberfastnacht onwards, you can travel particularly cheaply in Wiesbaden and Mainz with the "Narrenkarte": a day ticket for unlimited travel for only €5.20 for adults and €3.00 for children.
• Available at advance sales outlets, ticket machines, and directly from the bus driver.

Sustainability doesn't have to be perfect. Even small decisions can make a difference. Have fun celebrating and a triple thunderous Helau!