Fall is the perfect time for warm drinks, trick or treating, and of course, pumpkin everything. But while we love fall as much as you do, we don’t love the thousands of pounds of pumpkins that end up in landfills every Halloween. Now we know Halloween wouldn’t be Halloween without pumpkins, but there are better ways to enjoy the holiday and prevent landfills from being filled with this fall favorite.
While it can be easy to just throw your pumpkin away, Rhode Island’s landfill is expected to reach full capacity around 2034. With over 100,000 tons of food scraps ending up there each year, let’s find a new home for our pumpkin scraps this year.
What Can I Do With My Pumpkins After Halloween?
So if the landfill is not the best place for your pumpkin, where can it go? Well, pumpkins are versatile and make for great compost. You can compost for your own garden, reach out to local community gardens, or learn more about our partner, Black Earth Compost, who can pick up your pumpkins (and other food scraps) at your door. These options help your community and your planet. We call that a win win!
Why Composting?
Composting is extremely beneficial for the environment as it improves water quality, reduces runoff, and helps reduce erosion. By making sustainable composting choices, you can not only protect our lands but the beautiful oceans too. If you have a garden, your plants will benefit from the organic matter that composting provides. Composting can improve your plants’ health, help them grow faster, and stronger.
When it comes down to it, you can still enjoy all the wonders of the fall season, while also being responsible with your environmental choices!