With Halloween just around the corner, the states of New York and New Jersey are promoting sustainability solutions ranging from pumpkin smashes to materials reuse.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NY DEC) is encouraging its communities to host pumpkin smashes or pumpkin drop-off events to benefit soil, reduce methane emissions and leachate from landfills, and maybe even lower residents’ stress levels. NY DEC, which has created a Pumpkin Smash Event Checklist, notes that to curb the landfilling of carved pumpkins, some local governments and community groups are hosting pumpkin smashes or pumpkin drop-off events where residents can leave pumpkins for composting. New York DEC also co-hosted a comprehensive recorded webinar with the Town of Bethlehem on How to Plan a Pumpkin Smash Event for Your Community.
One organization promoting pumpkin smashing and composting estimates that more than a billion pounds of pumpkins are grown domestically each year, with the majority thrown away. According to the U.S. EPA, landfills are the third largest producers of methane in the United States.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has posted on Instagram a series of green tips for Halloween. These include: composting pumpkins or using them to make a pie or roasted seeds; reusing old clothing to make decorations like scarecrows and ghosts; reusing cardboard and newspaper for other decorations; and avoiding overconsumption on decor by purchasing reusable items.
