Pine Level
Pine Level, NC · LATEST NEWS
Raleigh News & Observer
Got a pumpkin you want to get rid of? Give it a better ending than the trash can
If you’re like a lot of people, you may have brought home one, two, maybe even three, pumpkins as soon as there was a little chill in the air. From big carving pumpkins to Hooligans and Jack-Be-Littles, pumpkins always seem to help set the mood for fall. But once Halloween passes, think twice before tossing that pumpkin or gourd in the trash. When you throw a pumpkin away, it typically goes to a landfill, where it breaks down with little oxygen and can produce methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming and climate change. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that over 1 billion pounds of pumpkins end up in landfills each year. The good news: There are other options. Composting your pumpkins (and food waste) means less methane and more landfill space, allowing us to recycle the nutrients into valuable fertilizer and mulch. Here are several opportunities around the Triangle to compost your pumpkin or donate to a hungry animal. Durham On Nov. 7 and Nov. 14, Durham’s Environmental and Street Services Department will hold four free drop-offs at two Home Depots. Residents can bring their unpainted pumpkins, jack-o’-lanterns, and other squash. The city will compost all
