Saturday’s Great Pumpkin Rescue event in the Cos Cob train station parking lot was the brainchild of Waste Free Greenwich founder, Julie DesChamps.
Charlie Brown would be proud.
Throughout the afternoon, families arrived with sledgehammers, baseball bats, protective eyewear and, of course, pumpkins – some firm, others rotting – and proceeded to beat them to a pulp.
The pumpkin smashing was a great way to divert organic waste from landfills, but it was probably more therapeutic than a primal scream. And definitely safer than axe throwing.
The idea is that pumpkins should be composted, but too often they wind up in the trash, and ultimately in landfill, which costs the town money and is a lost environmental opportunity.
The family friendly event featured multiple pumpkin-themed stations, including a beanbag toss, pumpkin bowling, tic-tac-toe, and a ring toss.
The event was sponsored by JKJ Carting and IN Greenwich.
Food Scrap Recycling in Greenwich
At the event residents also had an opportunity to purchase food scrap recycling kits for just $20. Each kit includes a large green pail with a locking top that can be kept in a garage or outside, plus a smaller kitchen counter pail to line with a compostable bag to hold food scraps.
At Holly Hill there is a shed by the trash building for food scrap recycling.
There were composting demonstrations and, of course, by the event the giant dumpster was full of smashed pumpkins and gourds.
Did you know? More than 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins are sent to incinerators and landfills annually in the U.S.
When left to decompose in a landfill, that food waste produces methane gas, a greenhouse gas that is far more potent than carbon dioxide.
Pumpkins and gourds are 90% water and are full of nutrients. Composting this organic material captures these nutrients and water, creating a soil amendment to benefit our parks, gardens and farms.
If you missed the event, you can bring your pumpkins to Holly Hill for composting. There is a designated area in the yard waste area.
Alternatively, remove the seeds and place them in a backyard composter. They can also be left in your yard for animals to enjoy. Please do not put pumpkins on the streets. Only leaves should be collected with the Town’s Leaf Collection Program.
More information on Waste Free Greenwich is available online. Email [email protected] to receive newsletters, post events or share tips on waste free living!
