Courtesy photo
Dear Eartha,
My family always carves pumpkins for Halloween, but when
the trick-or-treating is over, our pumpkins end up in the trash. Is there any
other option for disposing of our spooky squash, so we can make Halloween less
wasteful?
— Bridget, Breckenridge
With Halloween right around the corner, families across the
U.S. will be carving out jack-o’-lanterns to set out on their doorsteps. With
an estimated 145 million Americans participating in this festive tradition, you
can imagine the number of spoiled pumpkins. Here are a few ways to maximize the
use of your pumpkins and reduce your impact during the holiday season.
How to pick out a pumpkin
Visiting a local pumpkin patch will not only reduce the
overall carbon footprint of your pumpkin, but it will also support local
farmers. If you don’t have a pumpkin patch nearby, visit your neighborhood
grocer to find that perfect pumpkin, and don’t forget to look for the Colorado
Proud sticker. When searching for a pumpkin, look for one with green in the
stem. The greener the stem, the fresher the pumpkin, which means it will last
longer on your stoop. Next, knock on the side of the pumpkin to determine how
hollow it is. The more hollow-sounding, the more room you will have to put a
candle inside. Once you have selected your ghoulish gourds, you are ready to
start carving.
Get ready to carve
If you can resist temptation, don’t carve your pumpkins
until a day or two before Halloween. This limits the amount of time the pumpkin’s
innards are exposed to oxygen, keeping it fresh for Halloween night. As you
begin carving your pumpkin, there will be lots of seeds and goop on the inside.
Scoop this mush into a bowl and get slimy by separating the seeds. Give them a
quick rinse in a strainer, spread them on a baking pan, drizzle with olive oil
and salt, and pop ‘em into the oven for a tasty and nutritious snack.
What to do with the rest of the pumpkin guts? Put them in
your food scrap recycling bucket, of course! As a reminder, food scrap
recycling is now free in Summit County. That means you can collect your food
scraps and drop off up to 10 gallons each week at the Breckenridge and Frisco
recycling centers. Your food scraps will be turned into compost right here in
Summit County. The High Country Conservation Center still has free food scrap
buckets available, so head to their office in Frisco if you haven’t gotten
yours yet.
Compost those pumpkins
Once trick-or-treaters have gobbled up all your candy and
the yard has been cleared of all ghoulish decorations, there remains your
jack-o’-lantern. Sitting stoically, it now expresses a slight slump in its
demeanor, knowing full well its time has come. Instead of tossing those
pumpkins in the trash, you can compost them so they turn into healthy soil that
is used to grow more food.
Designated pumpkin collection containers will be available
Friday, Oct. 25, through Monday, Nov. 11, at the Breckenridge and Frisco
recycling centers. The bins will be clearly marked with pumpkin composting
signs, and they will be next to the normal food scrap recycling containers. Remove
candles and any non-food items from the pumpkin and place it in the dumpster.
The pumpkins will be taken to the Summit County Resource Allocation Park, where
they will be mixed with food waste and other material for composting.
DIY costumes and decorations
Along with the pumpkin, costumes and decorations are
important Halloween traditions, but depending on where or how they are made,
they can have a significant environmental impact. Minimize excess waste by
fashioning costumes and decorations with materials you have around the house,
or peruse your local thrift store for treasures. If you’re having a party, use
cloth napkins and reusable plates and silverware. And if you’re not planning to
reuse your costume, donate it to a neighbor or a thrift store rather than
throwing it away.
Remember, the beauty of composting is the nutrients in our food can be recycled over and over again. Forget zombies — pumpkins and food scraps are the real undead!
Ask Eartha Steward is written by the staff at the High Country Conservation Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to waste reduction and resource conservation. Submit questions to Eartha at info@highcountryconservation.org.