Don’t Trash it, SMASH IT! Composting Pumpkins Recovers Nutrients for Soil and Educates About Composting Kay McKeen Founder Heather Goudreau Educator

Annual Pumpkin Smash Over 93 tons composted since SCARCE started pumpkin composting events in 2014 © 2017 SCARCE Inc

IL Composting Legislation SB99 was passed in 2009 which allowed for commercial composting facilities to accept food scraps 2015 Updates: HB437 – Organic composting drop offs SB1518 – Composting Infrastructure HB1362 – Compost usage reporting HB2495 – Compost labeling HB437 – Organic composting drop offs: Allows temporary and permanent sites SB1518 – Composting Infrastructure: Expands pilot to allow food scrap at landscape waste transfer sites HB1362 – Compost usage reporting: Requires agencies to report on their compost use and examine whether they could use more. HB2495 – Compost labeling: supports composting and biodegradability labeling requirements. © 2017 SCARCE Inc

Pair Education with Common Tradition Piggyback on community event? Common tradition? Widely shared tradition? © 2017 SCARCE Inc

Generates Excitement, Expands Awareness School kids helped educate community members with their Halloween window promoting composting for the event. Students from Prospect School decorated a Halloween window promoting pumpkin composting. Extends holiday fun. Residents, participants, organizers, and volunteers learn. © 2017 SCARCE Inc

Benefits of Composting Waste Diversion Fewer Greenhouse Gas Emissions, including methane from landfills Saves landfill space Less landfill leachate In Use Returns nutrients & water to soil Less need for fertilizers, pesticides Increases water holding capacity of soil Reduces erosion © 2017 SCARCE Inc

Pumpkin Facts Illinois is #1 producer in the country, 500 million lbs each year Pumpkin Pie is official Illinois State Pie Pumpkins are 90% water One of top 50 most nutritious foods Vitamin k, beta carotene, magnesium, potassium, protein © 2017 SCARCE Inc

© 2017 SCARCE Inc.

Educate on Contamination Candles Stickers Plastic or metal of any kind Foam Decorations Googly eyes Yarn Tape Acrylic Paint only Update for pumpkins © 2017 SCARCE Inc

Bartlett Alton © 2017 SCARCE Inc

Impact 2016 Pumpkin Smash Total of 31 sites Diverted 56 tons organic waste from landfill Returned 11,828 gallons of water to soil Prevented release of 48 tons of CO2 equivalent *Supplements STEM & NGSS learning © 2017 SCARCE Inc

2017 Pumpkin Smash Locations Drop-off your pumpkins for composting at sites in these towns: Addison Highland Alton Hoffman Estates Barrington Itasca Bartlett La Grange Park Carol Stream Lisle Clarendon Hills/Westmont Mount Prospect Crystal Lake Mundelein Darien Naperville DeKalb Park Ridge Downers Grove Plainfield Elgin Romeoville Elmhurst Roselle Evanston Sandwich Geneva Skokie Glen Ellyn Villa Park SCARCE (Glen Ellyn) West Chicago Glencoe Wheaton Grayslake Winnetka Gurnee © 2017 SCARCE Inc View details & map at www.scarce.org/pumpkins

Get Started www.scarce.org/pumpkins Free, downloadable how-to guide Fill-in-the-Blank fliers SCARCE staff help answer questions, help troubleshoot as needed www.scarce.org/pumpkins © 2017 SCARCE Inc

Village of Carol Stream: Mayor, city manager, and Glenbard North High School volunteers © 2017 SCARCE Inc