From carving spooky faces to baking delicious seasonal treats, pumpkins and gourds are the stars of our fall traditions. But as the festivities wind down, don’t just toss them out. Give them a sustainable encore!
Pumpkin composting
We make it flexible and easy to compost your unpainted, undecorated pumpkins and gourds. Drop them off in the east parking lot of the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, Nov. 1-25, between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Why compost?
When pumpkins are trapped in a landfill, they break down without oxygen, releasing harmful methane gas. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that can “haunt” our environment.
But when we compost them, they break down properly with oxygen, preventing the release of methane! You’re making a positive impact on our planet and turning your seasonal squash into valuable, nutrient-rich soil. That’s a win-win!
Last fall, we composted 35 trailer loads at the Arboretum. That’s about 10,500 pounds, or more than five tons of pumpkins and gourds, kept out of the landfill. Let’s top that this year! For details on pumpkin composting, visit opkansas.org/PumpkinComposting.