Get started with composting by taking the pumpkin pledge!
This is the season when pumpkins abound!
Of the nearly 2 Billion pounds of pumpkins grown in the United States, an estimated 1.3 Billion pounds were simply trashed instead of eaten or composted. It seems that Jack-O-Lanterns comprise their own scary group of Halloween food waste, haunting landfills! On a global scale, we don't make full use of the food we have - every year, around one-third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted. And food waste contributes to the Climate Emergency because the production and transport of food uses up precious energy and resources.
If you are new to composting or already a dedicated composter, take the Pumpkin Pledge and promise to divert your pumpkin from the waste stream and into the compost bin because landfills & incinerators are scary!
And here are some of the many options for composting your pumpkin:
DSNY Brown Bins for curbside collection (Queens, Brooklyn and select other areas)
Food Scrap Drop Off sites at many greenmarkets
Orange Smart Bins - using the NYC Compost app and map
Community Refrigerators - check first on capacity
Food Pantries - some will accept
Wildlife Rehabs, zoos - some will accept to feed animals
Or, find a Pumpkin Smash near you!. These are just some of the smashes hosted by GrowNYC!
See locations & schedules below (rain or shine)
Wednesday, November 1, 3:30PM-5:30PM
Lehman College | Pumpkin Smash
250 Bedford Park Boulevard West
Hosted by New York Botanical GardenThursday, November 2, 8AM-12:30PM
181 Street FSDO | Flyer
181st St & Fort Washington Ave,Saturday, November 4, 11:00AM-2:00PM
Hudson River Park's Pier 84 | Hudson River Park's Pumpkin Smash
Hudson River Park,W 44 St
Saturday, November 4, 11AM-2PM
Manhattan Park | The Great Pumpkin Event 2023
30 River Road, Roosevelt Island
Saturday, November 4,, 1:00PM-3:00PM
Astoria Park | Astoria Park Pumpkin Smash
19 19th St, Astoria, NY
Saturday, November 4, 8AM-2PM
Abingdon Square GM | Flyer
W12th St & 8th Ave
November, 4, 5, 11, 12 - 11:00AM-5:00
Aviator Sports Center, Brooklyn
Sunday, November 5, 12:00PM-3:00PM
La Plaza Cultural Community Garden | Pumpkin Smash 2023
Southwest corner of E. 9th Street & Avenue C
Hosted by LES Ecology CenterSunday, November 5 - 11:00AM
Sunset Garden 1798 Willoughby Ave, Ridgewood Queens
Saturday, November 11, 11AM-3PM
Bed-Stuy Farmstand | Flyer
Decatur St and Lewis AveSunday, November 12, 7:30AM-12:30PM
Asphalt Green FSDO | Flyer
East 91st St & York AveFriday, November 17, 8AM-12PM
Parkchester FSDO | Flyer
Virginia Ave & Hugh Grant CircleSaturday, November 18, 9:30AM-1:30PM
Ridgewood Farmstand | Flyer
Myrtle Ave & Cypress Ave
This is the season when pumpkins abound, but Halloween is just the beginning of a holiday season filled with food waste, which is a useful and valuable resource - not garbage. Now New Yorkers have many more options to keep food and yard waste out of the garbage. By taking the pledge, you can also indicate if you need help getting started with composting in your daily life. Share your pumpkin composting photos with the tag #pumpkinpledge.