Dear Eartha, I left my Halloween pumpkin outside overnight, and now it’s turned into a gross, rotting mess – not the spooky vibe I was going for! I already compost my food scraps, but can I toss my pumpkin in the compost, too?
Ah, yes, the true horrors of spooky season—decaying pumpkins. While we love a good scare, no one wants a rotting gourd hanging around. Luckily, your sad, squishy pumpkin doesn’t need to haunt the landfill! Starting October 27th through November 19th, you can resurrect your pumpkin by dropping it off for FREE composting at the Frisco, Silverthorne, and Breckenridge Recycling Centers. Look for the specially marked bins, and give your gourd a second life.
Pumpkin Farewell 101
Halloween may go all out, but saying goodbye to your festive squash is simple. Since your pumpkin will be transformed into compost, don’t forget to remove candles, string lights, paint, glitter, or any other hauntingly fun decorations before tossing it in the bin. Once prepped, your pumpkin will be composted locally in Summit County, with the finished compost helping to nourish the soil. Now that’s some boo-tiful recycling!
Gourd-geous, But Hazardous? Here’s Why It Matters.
This Halloween, about 154 million Americans will be carving up pumpkins, which is a lot of potential food waste. So why should you care? When pumpkins and other organic materials are left to rot in landfills, they release a nasty greenhouse gas called methane. Yikes, that’s a real fright!
But fear not—I’m not here to mess with your PSL obsession or demand you skip out on your jack-o-lantern fun. Instead, let your pumpkin pull double duty by dropping it off for composting after Halloween.
A quick carving tip for our mountain town pros: Pumpkins don’t hold up long in this alpine climate. If you want to keep your jack-o-lantern looking fresh, bring it inside at night, and try not to carve too early if you can hold back your Halloween excitement. And those pumpkin guts? Send them off to High Country Conservation Center’s free food scrap recycling program, or spice things up by roasting the seeds with chili powder for a snack while you watch your favorite spooky flick.
Eco-Friendly Frights
Folks spent a whopping $12.2 billion on Halloween in 2023.That’s a ton of cash, and as you might guess, it means a lot more potential waste. With all the costumes and decorations flying off the shelves, it’s easy for Halloween to turn into a real eco-nightmare.
Sustainability doesn’t have to stop at your pumpkin. When it comes to decorations, look around your home for items you can transform into something festive. How about crafting some googly-eyed bats from toilet paper rolls or turning those old cereal boxes into haunted houses? The possibilities are endless! Plus, DIY decorations aren’t just good for the planet—they’re easy on your wallet, too.
In 2022, Americans spent $4.1 billion on costumes, but the real fright is where they end up—many in the trash, adding to textile waste. Don’t let that haunt you—there are plenty of ways to enjoy a costume without sending it to the landfill.
First, get crafty! You’d be surprised what a little creativity and some everyday household items can do. Old clothes, leftover fabric, and random accessories lying around your house can easily be turned into a one-of-a-kind costume. From DIY zombies to makeshift superheroes, your imagination is the only limit!
Or, if you’re not in the mood to get crafty, consider re-wearing last year’s costume. Let’s be honest—no one’s going to remember what you wore, and if they do, who cares? It’s a great way to save money and reduce waste. If you’re really itching for a new look, swap costumes with friends. It’s an easy way to get a “new-to-you” costume without buying something brand new.
So, there you have it folks. With these tips, you don’t have to miss out on all the spooky fun. Remember to compost your pumpkin, reuse your decorations and costumes, and have a wonderfully green Halloween.
Ask Eartha Steward is written by the staff at High Country Conservation Center, a nonprofit dedicated to waste reduction and resource conservation. Submit questions to Eartha at info@highcountryconservation.org.
