Dear Recycle Lady,
All the flowers in my hanging baskets are now dead. Are there any places locally that accept hanging baskets and flower containers? Can they be recycled?
Gardener
Dear Gardener,
Used hanging baskets and flower containers are not recyclable, however, they are reusable so check with close-by nurseries or stores, such as Lowe’s, that sell plants. Hurley’s in Fairlea across the road from Greenbrier East High School will thank you for your donation as baskets and pots can both be reused to prepare their hanging baskets and flowers for sale next spring. Remove any soil in the baskets or pots before donating them as it’s an excellent addition to existing flower beds or to your compost pile or bin.
Dear Recycle Lady,
Can Halloween jack-o-lanterns be composted?
Loves Halloween
Dear Loves Halloween,
Yes, used or cut Halloween pumpkins can be composted and will add green waste to your compost. Be sure to remove any candles, paint or wax that you may have used in making the jack-o-lanterns. Smash or chop up your pumpkins into smaller pieces so they will compost faster. Roasted pumpkin seeds are a healthy snack for both humans and birds as they are high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats. See www.tasteofhome.com/article/roast-pumpkin-seeds/, for step-by-step instructions for roasting pumpkin seeds. Raw, dried, or slightly roasted pumpkin seeds can be put in a dish, feeder or mixed with suet for a healthy bird snack that gives birds both nutrients and energy. Be sure there is no salt, seasoning, flavoring or candy on the seeds as these are not healthy for birds. The website, https://www.beakybites.co.uk/blog/can-birds-eat-pumpkin-seeds-the-best-way-to-feed-them has great ideas for preparing pumpkin seeds for birds. Deer and other wildlife also like pumpkins. Just put them out in a field or lightly forested area. One word of caution: break open your pumpkins so a hungry deer won’t get its head stuck inside the pumpkin! Feeding humans, deer, or birds with used pumpkins is so much better than sending them to the landfill. Each year, landfills around the country receive about 900,000 tons of pumpkins that add to the yearly 13 billion tons of global food waste, according to the World Economic Forum. Food waste emits a potent greenhouse gas, methane, that generates Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and contributes to climate change. Finding a sustainable way to dispose of a Halloween pumpkin is one small way we can make Halloween activities more environmentally friendly.
Interesting Information: Did you know that the name Jack-o’-lantern was used in the 1600s as the name for a lantern-carrying night watchman? At that time, “Jack” was a name used for a man whose name was not known and he was carrying a lantern, thus he was called Jack-o’-lantern. According to Merriam-Webster, by the 1800s, Jack-o’-lantern meant “a carved pumpkin used as a lantern.” The name may have come from ancient rituals or folk tales about lantern carrying spirits. It also may have come from young pranksters who carved scary faces into pumpkins. Happy Halloween!
Have questions about recycling, or interesting information about recycling? Send questions or requests Recyclelady7@gmail.com. Dear Recycle Lady is sponsored jointly by the Greenbrier Recycling Center and Greenworks Recycling.