Evanston Holds 2nd 'Great Pumpkin Compost' Event

EVANSTON, IL — Don't get rid of those pumpkins yet: Evanston is holding its second annual "It's the Great Pumpkin Compost" collection event Sunday at parking lots of city buildings. Community members can keep their Halloween pumpkins and Jack-o'-lanterns from ending up in a landfill or rotting on front porches by participating in the event, which takes place from 9 a.m. to noon at the Levy Senior Center, 300 Dodge Ave., and the Morton Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave.

Drive up, drop off your gourds, and take the opportunity to have your pumpkins composted. You'll reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save landfill space.

According to the City of Evanston, last year's inaugural pumpkin collection event resulted in more than three and a half tons of pumpkins being dropped off for composting.

All sizes of pumpkins will be accepted, as long as as they're not contaminated with candle wax, stickers or other decorations.

Pumpkins painted with acrylic paint will be accepted, but no non-pumpkin organic material may be dropped off.

People who want to drop off pumpkins at the Morton Civic Center should enter the public lot at the corner of Asbury Avenue and Simpson Street. The north parking lot entrance off of Leonard Place will be blocked. For more information, call or text 847-448-4311 or dial 311 from inside Evanston.

_{Top photo via City of Evanston}