SPRINGER – When fall comes around, pumpkins really shine. But what happens when the jack-o-lanterns are gone for good?
At a free outdoor event called “Pumpkin Smash,” put your Halloween pumpkins to good use by turning them into soil. The event is put on by the University of Illinois Extension and Sauk Valley Community College (SVCC).
On Saturday, November 2, from 10 a.m. to noon, bring your pumpkin to the SVCC pumpkin field. Make sure it doesn’t have any lights, paint, ribbons, or other non-organic materials on it. Then, pick a fun way to get rid of your old gourd.
You could hit it with a mallet, bat, catapult, or rocket, drop it, or use it as a piñata. Children can also take part in other free events with a pumpkin theme. The college is in Dixon, IL, at 173 IL Route 2.
Pumpkins are an example of organic trash that breaks down in landfills and releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. As these pumpkins break down, they release water that seeps through the trash and into nearby rivers, polluting them.
You can instead choose to smash and reuse Halloween pumpkins at this event for the community. The smashed pumpkins will be turned into soil in the SVCC yard to help the pumpkins grow next year.
Since the first Pumpkin Smash event in 2019 across the state, more than 50 tons of recyclable trash have been kept out of landfills by Illinois Extension.
The University of Illinois’s public outreach is run by Illinois Extension. They turn research into action plans that help families, businesses, and community leaders in Illinois solve problems, make smart choices, and adjust to new situations and chances. Call the Whiteside County Extension Office at 815-632-3611 for more information.
