The Comox Strathcona Waste Management (CSWM) service is holding its fifth annual Pumpkin Smash, a fun family event which keeps thousands of kilograms of pumpkin – which isn’t being turned into pies or muffins -- out of our landfills.
The Pumpkin Smash happens on Wednesday, Nov. 2 from noon to 5 p.m. in Campbell River in the parking lot of Strathcona Gardens recreation complex (225 South Dogwood Street, Campbell River) and on Saturday, Nov. 5 from noon to 5 p.m. at the Comox Valley compost education centre (4795 Headquarters Road, Courtenay). Residents are encouraged to bring their jack-o-lanterns and smash them into compost rather than simply throwing them away.
The CSWM service also invites residents to share a photo of your carved pumpkin before celebrating its last hurrah at one of these events. Simply e-mail a picture of you or a family member with the carved pumpkin to contest@comoxvalleyrd.ca; this makes you eligible for cool eco-friendly prizes and public notoriety by being posted on the CVRD social media sites.
“Over the years many families have come to these community events with some creative and unique jack-o-lanterns, the photo contest is an opportunity showcase them to the community,” said Koreen Gurak, CVRD’s manager of communications. “It’s exhilarating to be able to smash your pumpkin and have it turned into nutrient-rich compost rather than having it take up valuable space in our landfills.”
For more information on the pumpkin smash and the pumpkin craving photo contest, visit www.cswm.ca/contest.
The Comox Strathcona Waste Management (CSWM) service is a function of the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) and is responsible for two regional waste management centres that serve the Comox Valley and Campbell River, as well as a range of transfer stations and smaller waste-handling and recycling facilities for the electoral areas of the CVRD and the Strathcona Regional District. The CSWM service manages over 100,000 tonnes of