How to recycle a pumpkin.
It’s that time of year! As the leaves begin to fall and the mornings grow colder, Reno is quickly approaching the holiday season. With the holidays comes our favorite winter squash, the pumpkin. Whether you are carving, cooking, painting, or decorating, pumpkins are widely used by many households during this time of year.
Because of their popularity in the fall, the US produces nearly 2 billion pounds of pumpkins every year. However, only a fraction of these pumpkins are used for food. Instead, Americans spend hundreds of millions of dollars on pumpkins annually, only to toss them in the trash when the holidays end.
This leads to a massive amount of organic material going to our local landfill. Because these pumpkins are often buried under other discarded materials, they lack access to oxygen. The lack of oxygen in landfills causes organic materials to decompose anaerobically, which produces methane gas, a greenhouse gas that is harmful to the climate.
Thankfully, there are many alternative solutions! Here are some of the things you can do instead of sending your pumpkin to the landfill:
Eat Them -
Pumpkins are extremely nutritious. It is an excellent source of Vitamin A due to its bright orange color, which is important to preserve vision, fight infections, and maintain healthy skin and bones. Pumpkin is also a great source of fiber and potassium, making this gourd a good staple in any diet. They can also be extremely diverse. You can enjoy pumpkin in many different ways, savory or sweet!
In addition to the flesh, pumpkin seeds are packed with protein, fiber, and other minerals like iron, phosphorus, and selenium. These seeds can be roasted and seasoned for an easy, on-the-go snack!
Better Home and Gardens has recipes for toasted seeds and fresh pumpkin puree that can be used instead of canned pumpkin.
Donate Them -
If you don’t have a garden or subscribe to a composting service, there are other options! Some farms, zoos, and animal shelters will accept pumpkins for animal feed on a donation basis. In the Reno-Sparks area, the following organizations are accepting pumpkins:
Sierra Nevada Zoological Park - An animal refuge dedicated to providing a safe and comfortable environment for displaced exotic species. These pumpkins will go to feeding these animals. Donated pumpkins should be free of paint and wax. Pumpkins can be dropped off at 10200 N Virginia St, Reno, NV 89506, USA.
Phydeaux Pharm - A small farm in Reno that offers items grown locally, from lavender to piglets. Their animals are treated as part of their family, ensuring a good quality of life. Whole, uncarved, and unpainted pumpkins are preferred. They can be dropped off at 4673 Aircenter Circle Reno, NV 89502, and there will be receptacles behind the building for pumpkins.
Remember that these pumpkins will be used to feed animals, so please refrain from donating pumpkins that have molded.
Compost Them -
Pumpkins are made up of nearly 90% water and decompose quickly, making them ideal for composting. Even if you do not have an active compost pile, you can find a hidden spot for them in the yard to let them decompose. Remove all of the pumpkin’s seeds beforehand, as new pumpkins may begin to grow within your compost pile.
This TikTok shows how you can use your pumpkins in your backyard garden!
If you cannot compost them yourself, Down to Earth Composting will host a Pumpkin Smashing event at the Riverside Farmers Market on November 19th from 8 am to 1 pm in Idlewild Park. For a small donation, Down to Earth will take your pumpkin to be composted and made into soil at their facility. Please ensure your carved pumpkins are free of wax and paint beforehand!
To learn more about reducing food waste, check out https://www.ktmb.org/foodwaste.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/pumpkin#TOC_TITLE_HDR_8
