Becoming ripe and abundant in the fall, pumpkins have a long history with Halloween and the autumn season. While the big orange fruits can be delicious and nutritious, most are purchased just for decoration. Each year, around 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkin get sent to the landfill where they are buried, rot without oxygen, and expel methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.

If you don’t have a taste for pumpkin soup, or perhaps your pumpkins are past the point for human consumption, there are a few other ways you can make use of your pumpkin before tossing it in the trash.

Try composting your pumpkins this year. If you already have a compost bin or area, you can add your pumpkin just as you would other vegetable scraps. If you do not currently have a compost pile, you can find a secluded sunny spot in your yard to place your smashed pumpkin. Cover it with a layer of leaves and let nature do the work. Worms and other decomposers will convert your pumpkin into nourishment for the soil.

Make sure to remove seeds before composting if you don’t want pumpkins popping up next growing season. Or maybe you do want to use the seeds to grow your own pumpkins to carve next Halloween. These easy to grow and low maintenance garden plants produce a nectar filled flower that native pollinators love!

Another option for your post-Halloween pumpkin is to turn it into wildlife treats. Full of fiber and beneficial nutrients, pumpkins can be enjoyed safely by many different types of animals.

You can cut them into pieces and place around your yard to provide food for late season butterflies, moths and other insects that feast on plant juices.

You can also cut a pumpkin in half, empty it out, fill it with birdseed and hang it from a tree or leave as is for birds and squirrels. Throw in dried pumpkin seeds to the mix as well, many birds will find them just as desirable sunflower seeds!