The carved pumpkin(s) sitting on your porch won’t be around very long. Jack and the 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins Americans bring home every year rarely last into November.

If you drop the guy with the crooked smile in your trash can, he will end up decomposing at the landfill. As bacteria anaerobically break down the orange one, he will give off methane. You may know methane better as a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Altogether this year’s pumpkin crop could release 7,500 tons of methane. Luckily there are some steps you can take to reduce this harmful Halloween gas.

If you already participate in Washington County’s Food Scraps Pick-Up Program, you can cut your pumpkin into pieces, slip it into the bags from the program, and send it off with your trash for composting.

If you haven’t yet signed up for the Food Scraps Program, you can dispose of your pumpkin’s remains at the Environmental Center in Woodbury. If you have a bag labeled as biodegradable you can bring the pumpkin in it. Otherwise grab a bag at the Environmental Center and slip the rind into it for disposal.

Pumpkins can be left at Yard Waste Collection Sites in Ramsey County. Woodbury residents are welcomed at some of the sites including the nearby location in Battle Creek.

If you have your own compost bin, your pumpkin can decompose close to home. Scrape off any candle wax, paint, or decorations before composting. Separate the seeds so you don’t grow vines in the compost bin and then cut the pumpkin into pieces.

Animals like to eat pumpkins. The organization Pumpkins for Pigs lists farms willing to re-home your pumpkin. None of the Minnesota farms are very close to Woodbury, but they might be an option if you are traveling soon. If you live in a rural part of the city you can consider cutting your Jack-o-Lantern into pieces and leaving it out for wildlife. Putting a pumpkin buffet in your yard does risk visits from unwanted guests that can become pests.