Green Halloween Guide: Jack-O-Lanterns

Read Time: 2 minutes

• Use all of the parts of the pumpkins you carve, including the seeds and pulp

• Throwing old Jack-O-Lanterns away creates methane gas, a powerful greenhouse gas

• Instead compost your pumpkins in your bin, backyard, or participate in a local program

Did you know that Americans purchase and decorate 1.5 million pounds of pumpkins each year? Have you ever thought about what happens to all these pumpkins after Halloween? And what impact do they have on the environment? 

All growing plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, so the growth of all these pumpkins does have a positive effect in terms of climate change. However, some of this benefit is canceled out by the use of water and gas to grow the pumpkins. In comparison to other Halloween decorations made of plastic, Jack-O-Lanterns are still one of the most eco-friendly decorations out there.

If you haven’t carved your pumpkin just yet, think about all the ways you can use all of its parts. When you cut the top off and take out the pulp and seeds, don’t throw them away! You can separate them and use the pulp to make pumpkin pie, soup, stew, and more. And the seeds can be seasoned and roasted for a healthy and delicious snack. 

After Halloween many people throw their pumpkins in the garbage. Pumpkins that decompose in landfills create methane gas because there is very little oxygen as the pumpkins become buried under other trash. This compound is an extremely potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Instead of throwing your pumpkin away, compost it instead! Composting emits much lower levels of greenhouse gasses and can create nutrient rich soil. 

SIX TIPS:

1. Before composting, make sure that any non-biodegradable objects are removed from the pumpkin, such as candle wax. 

2. Cut off any pieces that have paint and glitter and put those in the garbage. 

3. Be sure your Jack-O-Lantern has no seeds left inside.

4. If you have a compost bin at home, cut the pumpkin into large chunks and mix it into your existing compost.

5. If you have a yard, find a spot that’s out of the way and place the pumpkin there and smash it (the more you smash it, the faster it will decompose). If you’d like, you can pile leaves or straw to hide it. You can also turn it into a teaching moment if you have children. Explain the decomposition process and let them watch the pumpkin decompose over the coming weeks.

6. If you don’t have a yard, your town or city may have a pumpkin pick-up or drop-off program so you and all of your neighbors can compost your pumpkins that way. To see if you have a program like that near you, search ‘pumpkin composting [your city/town].

Halloween can often be a time that produces a lot of challenges to maintaining a sustainable lifestyle. The excess plastic waste from candy wrappers, decorations, and cheap costumes can feel overwhelming, but you can learn ways to have a Green Halloween in our blog post from last year. We hope you decide to compost your Jack-O-Lanterns this year. And we hope you have a wonderfully spooky, safe, and spectacularly eco-friendly Halloween!