What do you do with your jack-o’-lantern after Halloween? Don’t toss it in the trash; launch it into a field at “Oh My Gourd!”. 

When: Saturday, November 7th
Time: 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Location: Meadow Ridge MetroPark
                  Archery Range
                  5101 Circle Pkwy. Middletown, OH 45042
Cost: FREE

MetroParks staff and the Lakota Robotics Club have designed two pumpkin-launching devices that will send jack-o’-lanterns soaring into the fields of Meadow Ridge MetroPark, where they can break down naturally. The event offers a fun way to explore the connection between engineering and the environment while giving Halloween pumpkins a second life.

Pumpkins are a fall favorite, but traditional disposal methods create a significant environmental impact. Approximately 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins are purchased for Halloween each year, and an estimated 1 billion pounds end up in landfills. As pumpkins decompose in oxygen-poor landfill conditions, they produce methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.

Composting pumpkins or allowing them to decompose outdoors offers a better alternative to throwing them in the trash. As pumpkins break down, they return nutrients to the soil and provide an opportunity to reduce organic waste.

Community members attending Oh My Gourd! are encouraged to bring their own pumpkins to launch. Pumpkins must be free of paint, decorations, embellishments, and other potentially toxic materials so they can safely decompose in the field.

Those who cannot attend the event can still help keep pumpkins out of landfills. MetroParks has pumpkin drop-off bins available through November 5 at Meadow Ridge MetroPark, Rentschler Forest MetroPark and Voice of America MetroPark. Donated pumpkins may be used at Oh My Gourd! or for composting.

Click here for more information about Oh My Gourd! and pumpkin composting. 

                                                                                                   ###