More than one billion pounds of pumpkins are grown in the U.S. every year, and after they’ve been used on Halloween, millions of them will end up in a landfill (垃圾填埋地) and become methane, which is a greenhouse gas. “Compared to carbon dioxide, methane warms the atmosphere in a shorter amount of time, which means it’s a particularly strong cause of climate change,” says Kay McKeen, the executive director at SCARCE, an environmental education organization based in Illinois.
That’s why, in 2014, McKeen and her SCARCE co-workers began Pumpkin Smash, a collection event where local Illinois residents can bring their rotting (正在腐烂的) pumpkins to 69 different locations to send them off to compost bins (堆肥箱), and smash (粉碎) them to pieces. “It puts nutrients back in our soil, it saves water, and it doesn’t make methane gas — it’s just a win-win,” says McKeen. By their own calculations, the group has saved 538 tons of pumpkins from the landfill.
But not everyone has access to pumpkin-smashing events. Since pumpkins are a great source of human nutrition, some people turn to home cooking. “Not one pumpkin goes to the landfill from our kitchen. It is a common ingredient in baked food like muffins, bread, and pies,” says Una Hagen. Pumpkin flesh can also be fermented (发酵), notes Elizabeth Flournoy: “I have been making wine from pumpkins!”
Some people throw pumpkins outside for deer, or raccoons to eat. While pumpkins are generally safe for wildlife to eat, experts say it’s best to let them hunt for their own food. Feeding wild animals can spread disease when animals gather. Some states, like Colorado, fine residents who intentionally feed wildlife. And trying to feed animals like deer can unintentionally attract animals like bears and lead to human-wildlife conflict. Instead, see if any local farms are collecting pumpkins as treats for their pigs, goats, and other animals — or for any other purposes. The website Pumpkins for Pigs shows animal farms around the country that take uncarved and unpainted pumpkins.
8. What can we learn about Pumpkin Smash?
A.Its aim is to reduce pumpkin pollution. | B.It collects pumpkins worldwide. |
C.Its effect has been questioned. | D.It is highly profitable. |
9. How does Una Hagen deal with pumpkins?
A.By making food with them. | B.By using them as fertilizer. |
C.By using them for decoration. | D.By sending them to landfills. |
10. Why do experts disagree with feeding wild animals with pumpkins?
A.It is a waste of food. | B.It disturbs the ecological balance. |
C.Pumpkins are harmful to wild animals. | D.Wild animals may cause harm to humans. |
11. What is the text mainly about?
A.Pumpkin events. | B.Problems caused by pumpkins. |
C.Ways to give pumpkins a second life. | D.Reasons to lead a pumpkin-free lifestyle. |