This Halloween, Torridge District Council is asking residents to minimise waste while celebrating the spookiest night of the year!
According to Waste Managed, 40% of UK consumers buy pumpkins to carve for Halloween, but 60% don’t then use their pumpkin to make any food*. While carving pumpkins may not have the best reputation for taste, they can actually be quite delicious when cooked properly and are a great source of vitamins A and C, iron and riboflavin. Recycle Devon offers some great recipes, which are available at www.recycledevon.org/eat-your-pumpkin.
After they’ve had their time to shine, your old pumpkins can be repurposed in a variety of ways. They can be added to your compost heap to nourish your garden or can be ‘monster mashed’ and added to your food caddy. If they’re still in good shape, you can also leave the pumpkins on top of, or beside, your kerbside caddy for the post-Halloween pickup by our crews. Just please make sure to remove any decorations and candles first. Your pumpkin will then be transformed into fertiliser and energy along with the rest of the food waste we collect.
If you enjoy dressing up, you can create amazing costumes using items you already have at home. Save these items and add them to your dress-up collection for future use. Instead of purchasing single-use costumes, consider investing in outfits that you can wear multiple times. Face paints, hats, and headpieces can transform ordinary outfits into extraordinary costumes, eliminating the need for disposable outfits and reducing their impact on the environment.
It’s easier than you think to make a costume with things you already have, instead of buying a one-use item. Of course, it takes a bit of time – but that’s where all the fun is!
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