Picked out a pumpkin yet? I’ve procrastinated a bit, mainly because I keep forgetting to leave room in my bike basket for the pumpkin when I go shopping at the farmers’ market. This week, however, I plan to make a pumpkin specific trip! Here’s how I plan to green my pumpkin plans:

1. Choose an organic, farmers’ market pumpkin. Last year**, I bought mine for just $1. Bike there and back for eco-brownie points!

2. Carve an eco-motif into the pumpkin. I’m still working on designs, so feel free to comment with your suggestions! Last year I carved a wino pumpkin**, in support of organic Californian wine –

3. Light a local beeswax candle. Of course, you want to avoid petroleum-based paraffin or lead wicks — and buying from your local honey-and-beeswax-candle purveyor at the farmers’ market will let you ask as many questions as you have about your candle of choice to make sure you’re getting the good stuff. Plus, your purchase will support both the local economy and local bee farming in this time of colony collapse disorder**.

4. Bake the seeds for a fall snack. I’ve bookmarked this eHow instruction page** on doing just that — and plan to use farmers’ market olive oil instead of the less-natural butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray.

Other ideas for greening the pumpkin, which I unfortunately won’t be able to do myself:

5. Compost the stringy insides, as well as the pumpkin itself after Halloween. Unfortunately, I don’t yet have an indoor composter — but I’ll work on that for next year.

6. Grow your own pumpkin! Now’s too late to start on that one. Plus, you already know my gardening skills aren’t too great**….

Still, I’m proud to say that this week, I enjoyed the first harvest from my balcony garden, a.k.a. a teensy red bell pepper with a few baby lettuce leaves. While not exactly filling, my garden gave me enough for a healthy, local, organic midday snack!

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