Have you ever wondered what happens to all the pumpkins at the end of each Halloween season?
“According to The Atlantic, every year, more than 1 billion pounds of pumpkin get tossed out and left to rot in America’s landfills,” Lisa McGuigan, founder of Temecula Tots said. “Some are thrown away the day after Halloween, contributing to the 30.3 million tons of annual food waste in the U.S. When left to decompose in a landfill, that food waste produces methane gas, a greenhouse gas that’s far more potent than carbon dioxide, How’s that for spooky?”
McGuigan said that, her “porch-party-pumpkin game” is “strong.”
“I love the festivities of the season, but dumping all those pumpkins felt so wasteful,” she said. “I know what you are thinking, and I do enjoy my pumpkin pie as much as the next gal, but how many pumpkin pies can we realistically take down? What to do with all those leftover pumpkins was starting to haunt me.”
To help put all that waste to good use, McGuigan and Temecula Tots is inviting the community to gather for a pumpkin drive benefiting the animals at Steampunk Farm. Guests are invited to drop-off pumpkins, play, and do a little good at at Tucalota Park, 37880 Pourroy Road Nov. 4, from 10 a.m. to noon.
