By Myara Gomez
Staff Writer
Each year, once November rolls around and all of the fun of pumpkin-carving is over, pumpkins begin to slowly rot on porches. Over time, they take the mold of the concrete steps. Not exactly the best way to start the month.
It’s a shame to watch these pumpkins go. However, they don’t have to go to waste. They can still be used in environmentally responsible and innovative ways.
According to Fiorentino's Farm Market, pumpkins can be repurposed by donating, cooking, planting or composting them.
Some specific examples of what to do with a pumpkin when it is no longer functionally decorative include turning it into a bird feeder or a pumpkin planter. It can also be placed into a garden or a field nearby.
As for cooking, there are many recipes that can be made with pumpkin puree, including foods like pie, pancakes, soup and muffins. People can also roast the pumpkin seeds.
Sophomore psychology major Alexander Vance said that he tries to avoid throwing pumpkins in the trash.
“Occasionally I will put the old pumpkins in the forest by my house for animals or as compost given they have no paint or any other chemicals on them,” Vance said.
According to The Atlantic, over 1 billion pounds of pumpkins are thrown away and end up in landfills every year. When pumpkins decompose in a landfill, it is very different from allowing them to break down in nature.
In a landfill, they release methane gas, which is a stronger greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, according to NASA. Apart from carbon dioxide, methane gas is the next contributor to climate warming.
Repurposing food, whether pumpkin or not, helps in the fight against climate change. This is why it is important that leftover bits from carving and the pumpkin itself stays out of the landfill. Doing little sustainable changes in life makes a difference and encourages change in the world.
