Waste Free Greenwich will host its second annual Great Pumpkin Rescue on Saturday, November 18.
The event will take place at at Living Hope Community Church in Old Greenwich from 1-4:00 pm.
Sponsored by Curbside Compost, the event aims to collect pumpkins for composting and to raise awareness about food waste in our community. Last year the Great Pumpkin Rescue diverted over 2,000 lbs of pumpkins from the waste stream.
Bring your pumpkins to be composted and stay for the fun. This free, family-friendly event will feature a
pumpkin toss and lawn games, including pumpkin bowling, spooky ring toss, pumpkin bean bag toss and gourd tic tac toe.
Playing Tic-Tac-Toe with mini pumpkins at the Great Pumpkin Rescue event at the Cos Cob train station parking lot. Nov 12, 2022 Photo: Leslie Yager
Earn raffle tickets for a chance to win prizes to green your home.
The Waste Free Greenwich team will also conduct a compost demonstration to share tips about backyard composting and other ways to cut food waste.
What Is Acceptable? Jack-o-lanterns, pumpkins and gourds only.
Please no paint, glitter, googly eyes or candles. These decorative details will contaminate the compost when processed. No other food scraps or other organic material can be dropped off at the event.
Scary Facts About Pumpkins. More than 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins are sent to incinerators and landfills annually in the U.S. Diverting this material from incineration cuts pollution generated by burning waste, which negatively impacts public health. When left to decompose in a landfill, that food waste produces methane, 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.
Pumpkins collected at the Great Pumpkin Rescue in 2022. Photo: Leslie Yager
Don’t trash them. If you can’t join The Great Pumpkin Rescue, bring your pumpkins and gourds for composting to the designated drop area near the yard waste section at the Holly Hill Resource Recovery Facility during hours of operation.
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 in the streets. Only leaves should be collected with the Town’s Leaf Collection Program.
For further information, visit the Events page at the Waste Free Greenwich website or contact [email protected].
Ring toss with pumpkins at the Great Pumpkin Rescue event. Nov 12, 2022 Photo: Leslie Yager