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

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

3. 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

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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. © 2017 SCARCE Inc.

9. 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

10. Bartlett
Alton
© 2017 SCARCE Inc

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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
© 2017 SCARCE Inc

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