Organizers in Elmira will host their second annual pumpkin smash on Nov. 9 at Elmira Community Cycle from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The event is coordinated by Liv Lovejoy of Uplift Neighborhoods and highlights composting organic materials.
Composting is an alternative to keep food waste out of landfills where decomposition produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas, as well as carbon dioxide.
According to the Associated Press, the Department of Energy estimates more than 1 billion pounds of pumpkins rot in U.S. landfills each year after Halloween.
People can bring their pumpkins and gourds to be smashed by volunteer smashers, or participate in the smashing themselves in Elmira.
“We provide goggles and the ways in which to smash. Equity Barbell brings their weights and bar to add some pizzazz,” said Lovejoy.
The smashed materials will be weighed afterwards to calculate the amount of emissions diverted from the landfill.
Lovejoy said they were unable to have the smashed gourds hauled away last year, but it worked out.
“I ended up composting all of the remains in my backyard and will be bringing some of the pumpkins that grew from those scraps to this year's event to show off the beauty of diverting food waste,” said Lovejoy.
Last year the event smashed more than 800 pounds of pumpkin, according to Lovejoy, which is the equivalent of 2,080 pounds of carbon dioxide diverted from the landfill.
Local community organizations, county agencies and businesses will participate including Runway for a Cause, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chemung County, Café Cómodo, FLX improve, Neighborhood Transformation Center and the Chemung County Planning Department.