Instead of sending Halloween pumpkins to the landfill, residents had an opportunity to put them to good use during the fourth annual Pumpkin Smash at Lake Katherine Nature Center and Botanic Gardens on Saturday, Nov. 7.
The free event, held on the festival grounds at 7402 Lake Katherine Drive in Palos Heights, gave residents an opportunity to keep their old jack-o’-lanterns and gourds out of landfills.
“This gets pumpkins out of landfills,” said Gareth Blakesley, Lake Katherine’s director and chief naturalist.
Pumpkins may seem harmless when tossed in the trash, but they create environmental problems when sent to landfills. As they break down, they produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Decomposing pumpkins also release water that can filter through landfill waste and pollute nearby waterways.
The Urban Canopy partnered with Lake Katherine to collect the pumpkins. Those in good condition were shared with farm animals, while the remaining pumpkins were taken for composting.
Palos Heights Mayor Bob Straz joined the morning’s activities, taking the first swing and smashing the event’s first pumpkin.
Families also came out to take part in the effort. Lauren Kurtz of Alsip attended with her 8-year-old daughter, Olivia, and said the event offered a worthwhile way to dispose of their Halloween decorations.
“This is a great way to give back to the animals instead of just throwing your Halloween pumpkins away — plus, it’s fun,” Kurtz said.
The local event was part of a larger statewide initiative organized by the University of Illinois Extension and SCARCE, an Illinois environmental nonprofit that began hosting Pumpkin Smash events in 2014. Illinois Extension joined the effort in 2019.
Across Illinois, the initiative has helped divert more than 345,000 gallons of water from landfills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 1,200 tons of carbon dioxide.
Organizers encouraged residents to collect pumpkins from their homes, neighborhoods, schools and workplaces. Before dropping them off, participants were asked to remove candles, wax, ribbons, paint and other nonorganic materials.
For those who missed the event, pumpkins can still be composted through local waste providers, private composting services or backyard compost piles.
