Now that we are past Halloween and you had plenty of kids walking up and down your sidewalk getting candy on Monday, what should you do with those Jack-O-Lanterns that are still sitting on your porch?

You could leave them there but they would become a rotten mess and then you would get mice or rats running around and bugs everywhere, so it is best to dispose of them.

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But how?

You could just throw it away in the trash, but you would be missing out on using your own Jack-O-Lantern for good.

COMPOST IT

There are a lot of community gardens that will take old pumpkins and compost them. You could even do that in your own backyard. Pumpkins have a lot to offer composts and are good for the soil.

DONATE IT TO THE ZOO OR ANIMAL SANCTUARY

To animals, pumpkins are a tasty treat. Call the Buffalo Zoo or any other Western New York animal sanctuary and see if they want/need pumpkins. Some might only take uncut pumpkins, but donating them is better than tossing them in the trash.

LEAVE THEM OUT FOR WILD ANIMALS

As I mentioned above, pumpkins are a tasty treat for wildlife. Leaving your pumpkin out in the wild in a safe spot will allow deer, squirrels, and other outdoor wildlife to grab a tasty snack.

Giving your Jack-O-Lantern and Halloween pumpkins another purpose is amazing and good for the environment as well.

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