Drawing a blank when it comes to greening your gourd? Well, smarten up with this carved-pumpkin plan. From lighting it up with beeswax candles (rather than oil-based ones) to composting it once you’re done (instead of landfilling it), eco-izing is a no-brainer. Just follow these simple steps:

• Get your pumpkin from a sustainable patch.
• Light it with Bluecorn Naturals Tea Lights – no petroleum-based paraffin wax here ($6/6).
• Toast the seeds (try this easy recipe from Gourmet) and bake a pie (make sure to add 25% more sugar if you’re using a jack-o’-lantern pumpkin, rather than smaller, pie pumpkins) in the oven at the same time.
• Compost whatever left.

Benefits are: sensible bites, pumpkin seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids that aid with brain functioning; the rest of it is a good source of fiber, beta-carotene, vitamin C, and potassium. Another is, leaving jack squat behind. Use all of the pumpkin that you can: Bake the seeds, put the “guts” in a pie (if you don’t carve it, that is), then compost the rest. And, petrol-free IQ points opt for candles made from non-petroleum-based wax, such as beeswax or soybean oil.

MORE RELATED ARTICLES:

• Little tips to have energy packed snacks
• cleaning your clothes in truly clean water