On November 4th, volunteers got the chance to give back to their community through the annual Pumpkin Smash. Among the 22 volunteers present there were multiple Curtis students who helped in the organization of relay races, giveaways, and pumpkin bowling all in the name of helping the environment. Leftover pumpkins brought by members of the Staten Island community provided for a steady stream of organic matter that otherwise would’ve been turned into waste. Once participants got a chance to throw their pumpkins at one of the targets, volunteers would break the fallen remains into smaller pieces as the first step in compost. According to Snug Harbor’s Senior Director of Community Impact, Susannah Abbate, this year’s Pumpkin Smash alone diverted over 4,000 pounds of organic material from becoming waste, instead turning it into compost, and later soil.
“If we can at least get the community to bring in their pumpkins, and make it fun by smashing it, then it is mutually beneficial,” said Andrea Stuart, Snug Harbor’s Service Learning Coordinator. Compared to being sent to a landfill, compost remains organic waste’s safest option for the community, as it keeps methane out of the air, keeps our parks green, and provides students with opportunities to learn about their environment.
