The worst thing you could do after Halloween is to throw your pumpkins away.

The US Dept of Energy says most pumpkins end up in landfills.

Instead, consider these sustainable and often free things to do with pumpkins after Halloween.

Compost your pumpkin at home. You could end up growing new pumpkins next year.

Use a curbside composting program like Garden to Garbage in Maine and Massachusetts.

See if your town has a composting or food scrap recycling station where you can drop off your pumpkin.

Donate your pumpkin to a farmer with pigs. Check out the organization Pumpkins for Pigs for a farm near you.

Other farm animals will eat pumpkins, too. This includes sheep, goats and chickens.

Or you can leave the pumpkin out in your backyard for squirrels and other wildlife to eat.

Finally, if your pumpkin is still in good shape, you can use it in recipes or simply roast the seeds as a snack.

For more ideas on what to do with pumpkins after Halloween, tap "Learn More" to read our article.