Pumpkin Smash 2017: Go Green By Recycling Gourds

GLEN ELLYN, IL — Once the Halloween costumes have been put away and the jack-o-lanterns have been extinguished, it's time to dispose of that empty pumpkin. Instead of tossing pumpkins in the trash, residents can go green this year by composting their gourds as part of the statewide Pumpkin Smash.

More than 30 locations are taking part in the Pumpkin Smash throughout Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, Downers Grove, Darien, and other towns in DuPage County on Saturday, Nov. 4. The annual event is organized by School and Community Assistance for Recycling and Composting Education (SCARCE), which encourages composting pumpkins for the following reasons:

• Pumpkins are made of 90% water, which benefits soil
• Nutrient-rich gourds help nurture soil
• When pumpkins and other organics break down in landfills, they contribute to a significant methane release

Bring your jack-o-lanterns to the following locations in Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Downers Grove, and Darien from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Check the Pumpkin Smash website for additional information and locations.

St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 393 N. Main Street, Glen Ellyn

SCARCE, 799 W. Roosevelt, Glen Ellyn

SW Corner of Liberty Dr. and S. Carlton, Wheaton

Downers Grove South High School, 1436 Norfolk, Downers Grove

Hinsdale South High School, 7401 Clarendon Hills, Darien

>>Image via Pixabay