As smiling jack-o’-lanterns adorn midnight streets in the spirit of Halloween, massive amounts of pumpkins face a short-lived existence, doomed to rot in landfills. Of the two billion pumpkins grown in the U.S. yearly, 40% serve as Halloween decorations, contributing to the one billion pounds of pumpkins discarded into dumps. This incredible waste forces the environment to pay a heavy price, damaging ecosystems, polluting the air and, overall, poisoning the Earth.
Food waste contributes to eight percent of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions while using massive amounts of valuable resources, such as water and land. Greenhouse gases act as the base of global warming, leading to crises such as rising sea levels, disrupted and intensified weather patterns, habitat disruption and agricultural vulnerability. While tossing out a measly pumpkin each year may present itself as a minor and forgettable occurrence, the buildup of irresponsible waste undeniably causes Mother Nature to weep. To combat these harmful effects and celebrate Halloween with mindfulness, consumers may find that several disposal alternatives exist to promote both a happy holiday and a grateful Earth.
Gourd gourmet
When repurposing a pumpkin, individuals can avoid all waste by taking advantage of each part — including the shell, pulp and seeds. These goodies contain a plethora of nutrients, such as vitamins A, K, E, B6 and C, copper, iron, magnesium, protein, zinc and potassium. By creating a simple pumpkin purée, seasoning and baking the shell or roasting the seeds, both the consumer’s body and nature receive essential benefits. Before transforming a pumpkin into a delightful snack, however, individuals must check their jack-o’-lanterns for contamination; carved pumpkins that have resided outdoors for several days may contain dangerous mold, bacteria or pests. Unless the whole gourd remains preserved, consumers can use the scooped-out pulp and seeds for culinary purposes and partake in numerous non-food-related recycling methods for the shell.
“After you make a jack-o’-lantern, you collect all the seeds out of the pumpkin guts. Then you can salt them and put a seasoning on them, lay them on a tray, and you may put oil on them. Then you can bake them and roast them, and they taste really good. It’s a good snack — it’s crunchy and kind of like a cracker, almost. It also makes you feel very healthy because you’re eating pumpkin seeds. It’s more fun because it’s like, ‘Oh, I made a jack-o’-lantern and now I can use the seeds,’” senior Clara Lively said.
From carving to compost
In addition to fueling bodies with invaluable nutrition, pumpkins improve the health of the Earth when composted. Allowing the organic material to join soil boosts its structure and nutrition, increases water retention, suppresses diseases — reducing the need for pesticides — and limits erosion. Composting consists of combining and allowing nitrogen-rich materials and carbon-rich materials to break down into a mixture ideal for cultivating gardens and lawns.
“I do compost. In fact, I leave [my pumpkins] out for as long as they possibly can because a lot of times the birds will eat them — the pumpkin seeds and so forth. It’s kind of gross, but I’ll scoop out all of whatever meat that’s not that bad off, and then I will actually mix that in with my [garden] peppers, which seem to like them. Maybe experiment: bury it, put some dirt in there and maybe try to grow some plants and see what happens with the pumpkin nutrients,” Greenhouse Gang sponsor Susan Aughey said.
Beastie bites
Similar to the caution humans must take when eating the leftover shell of their jack-o’-lantern, those feeding pets or wildlife with the festive gourd remains must proceed with awareness of inedible and dangerous material. Once determined safe, or if simply using the fresh pumpkin pulp rather than the shell, wild animals such as deer, porcupines, and squirrels can feast on the nutritious plant. Likewise, select zoos accept pumpkin donations to feed their animals, allowing for a responsible method of recycling.
Ultimately, recycling jack-o’-lanterns requires minimal effort but produces an incredible impact on the environment, preventing massive amounts of food waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Halloween, although notorious for its spooky style, can also present an opportunity to preserve the planet and practice mindfulness — presenting a perfect segue into the season of Thanksgiving and gratitude.
