The holiday season is here, and with it comes a bountiful pumpkin harvest! Illinois proudly leads the nation in pumpkin production, having cultivated over 15,400 acres in 2023—more than double the land used by California, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Washington combined. This resulted in an impressive total of 690 million pounds of pumpkins, predominantly used for pie filling.
As families get creative, carving pumpkins into festive decorations, Chicago faces a challenge with food waste. Each year, millions of pumpkins are discarded post-Halloween, contributing significantly to landfill waste. However, rather than throwing these gourds away, the Chicago Department of Environment has teamed up with the University of Illinois Extension to organize the 2023 Pumpkin Smash, an event aimed at turning this waste into a resource.
Pumpkins are excellent for composting, providing essential nutrients for soil health. Last year, the Chicago Pumpkin Smash successfully composted over 18 tons of pumpkins, and this year aims to exceed 26 tons!
Join in the fun on Saturday, November 9, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at one of nine locations across the city to smash your pumpkins and contribute to a greener Chicago:
Plant Chicago – 4459 S Marshfield Ave
Chicago Fire Station 70 – 6040 N Clark St
Morton School of Excellence – 431 N Troy St
Disney II Magnet School – 3815 N Kedvale Ave
Lake View High School – 4015 N Ashland Ave
George Washington High School – 3535 E 114th St
Comer Crops Youth Farm – 7230 S South Chicago Ave
Carl Von Linné Elementary School – 3221 N Sacramento Ave
Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences – 3857 W 111th St
Please remember to remove all paint, decorations, and candles from your pumpkins before smashing them to ensure they are compostable. Let’s give those pumpkins a new life by returning them to the earth!
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