Squashing pumpkins to reduce landfill waste [Video]

Pumpkins pummeled down from a Winnipeg shopping mall parkade Saturday, as part of an annual event aimed at reducing landfill waste.

The Green Action Centre’s Pumpkin Drop returned to Polo Park mall for its fourth year, giving people a chance to get rid of their leftover gourds after Halloween in a fun way.

“We collect these pumpkins and a portion of them go to the Little Red Barn animal sanctuary to feed the animals,” said Compost Winnipeg’s sales and customer service lead Karrie Blackburn. “Then the pumpkins that are carved into Jack-O’-Lanterns all go to the compost pile to be turned into a finished compost, which it turns those nutrients back to the food system.”

Blackburn said the event sees thousands of pumpkins every year and continues to grow with each drop.

“We get an easy 2,000 to 3,000 pumpkins,” she said.

Before they’re dropped from the second level of …