WASHINGTON — Pumpkins are a fall favorite for making pie or decorating. Last year the top six pumpkin producing states harvested more than 1 billion pounds of pumpkin, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
But long after Halloween and Thanksgiving are over, many pumpkins end up in landfills and experts say those are the worst places from them to be.
As pumpkins rot, they generate methane, a gas that warms the planet. NASA found methane to be 80 times better at warming the planet than carbon dioxide, the top warming greenhouse gas.
There are more sustainable ways to part with pumpkins at the end of the season. You can use the pumpkin in your garden for compost.
Just be sure to remove the seeds, as pumpkins could sprout in your garden bed.
Most counties around the region will take pumpkins with curbside yard waste or compost pick up. Check with your local county for guidelines.
Old pumpkins can also be donated to Pumpkins for The People, a non-profit based in D.C. with multiple drop off locations.