Garden Center

It’s October in the Midwest, and for a lot of people that means one thing. Pumpkins! No, we aren’t weighing in on the pumpkin spice debate. We’re talking about the pumpkin patches, farms, grocery stores, and garden centers crowded with orange fruits for children and adults alike to carve and display proudly on their doorstep.

But what happens to these jack o’ lanterns after the festivities are finished? Most end up being thrown away, resulting in over a billion pounds of pumpkin being taken to landfills each year. When left to decompose in landfills, these pumpkins release methane. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is produced when food waste decomposes, and emits more than 80 times the warming power of CO2. While most can agree that this is an issue, how can it be resolved without getting rid of people’s beloved fall traditions?

Without breaking the tradition of decorative pumpkins, we can still help mitigate this issue in several ways. Here are a few:

• The simplest option is to leave the pumpkin in an unused area of your yard. While it will still decompose, it will also become a food source for any wildlife that frequents your property. Anything left will become fertilizer for the plants in that area, and you have the possibility of a pumpkin plant growing there in the spring!
• Not a fan of decaying pumpkins in your yard, but still want to reap the benefits of the nutrients it contains? Composting is also an option. There are several simple composting devices on the market that don’t require constant attention or a large area and turn your kitchen waste into usable soil for your garden.
• Donate it! Some farms and zoos accept non-rotten pumpkins as donations to feed animals or compost. This is the most straightforward option, and you get the additional benefit of a trip to your local zoo. Contact your intended location beforehand to be sure they’re accepting donations.

What will you be doing with your pumpkins this year?