{"id":15377,"date":"2025-10-29T15:48:12","date_gmt":"2025-10-29T19:48:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/?p=15377"},"modified":"2025-10-30T15:55:58","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T19:55:58","slug":"pumpkins-pie-and-planet-earth-the-hidden-impact-of-halloweens-signature-fruit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/pumpkins-pie-and-planet-earth-the-hidden-impact-of-halloweens-signature-fruit\/","title":{"rendered":"Pumpkins, Pie, and Planet Earth: The Hidden Impact of Halloween\u2019s Signature Fruit"},"content":{"rendered":"

Written by: Kaiton Quan<\/span><\/p>\n

Edited by: Abdul-Ghani Khan<\/span><\/p>\n

Designed by: Suhana Shaik<\/span><\/p>\n

Published by: Maryam Khan<\/span><\/p>\n

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When you think of Halloween, what’s the first image that pops into your mind? Chances are, it\u2019s a glowing jack-o-lantern smiling from a porch. Pumpkins are the symbol of spooky season. From lattes and pies to porch decor and Instagram posts, fall just wouldn’t feel right without them. But beneath their orange charm lies a story of waste, tradition, and some environmental consequences.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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PUMPKINS<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Pumpkins are part of the squash family and are packed with nutrients. They are rich in Vitamin A, fibre, and antioxidants. But sadly, most of the pumpkins we buy for Halloween never make it to our plates. Instead, they are carved, displayed, and thrown away, often before they’ve had a chance to rot naturally. In the U.S. alone, more than 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins are thrown away each year, mostly after Halloween. That’s a lot of food waste for something so nutritious.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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WHERE DO ALL THE PUMPKINS GO?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

When pumpkins end up in landfills, they break down and produce methane, a greenhouse gas even worse than carbon dioxide. While one jack-o-lantern may not seem like a big deal, millions of them rotting at once can have a serious impact on the climate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Usually, this is what happens:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n