The trick-or-treaters will soon be gone and the costumes and decorations soon packed away, but what about the pumpkins? What will become of your porch decorations once Halloween is in the rear-view mirror and we're busy getting ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas? 

Illinois is the United States' top-producing pumpkin state, harvesting more than twice as many pumpkin acres than other top-producing states, including California, Indiana, Michigan, Texas and Virginia, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But once Halloween is over, many of these pumpkins are quickly relocated from our porches to the dump. 

Millions of pumpkins collectively weighing more than 1.3 billion pounds get sent to landfills each year, The Atlantic reports. There, they'll decompose, releasing methane — a greenhouse gas more potent than carbon dioxide — into the atmosphere. Your jack-o'-lanterns don't have to contribute to this problem, though. Rather than send your jack-o'-lanterns out with the weekly trash, consider some of these more eco-friendly options.

Composting

One good option is to compost your pumpkins. Composting helps keep waste out of our landfills and also reduces greenhouse gas emissions. And pumpkins are about 90% water, so they break down quickly, according to the University of Illinois Extension.

You don't even have to have a compost pile already established to compost your jack-o'-lanterns. Simply place them in a shady spot in your yard and break them up into smaller pieces, Sustainable America recommends. Then cover the pieces with some fallen leaves and forget about it. Nature will do the rest. Just make sure to remove the seeds from your pumpkins before composting them or you may have a pumpkin patch come spring. 

One note of caution: Only leave your pumpkin on your own property or somewhere you have permission to leave it. And don't dump them in the forest preserves. Throwing any kind of food refuse into a preserve is a violation of the Forest Preserve District’s General Use Ordinance No. 124. 

Want to have a little fun while also putting your past-its-prime pumpkin to goo use? Attend our Pumpkin Smash from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, at Plum Creek Nature Center. Those who bring their pumpkins can smash them, bash them or otherwise obliterate them, and we'll take care of the clean up and compost the pumpkin remains. Pumpkin Smash is a regional event spearheaded by SCARCE to promote composting and wise use of resources.

Piece out the pumpkins

Have you ever checked the pumpkins on your porch only to find an animal has been nibbling on them? Squirrels are a common culprit, because they will eat through the pumpkin to get to the delicious seeds. 

Squirrels aren't alone in their love of pumpkins, though. Many animals will eat these giant squash, the National Wildlife Federation reports. If you have a lot of wildlife in your yard, like deer, squirrels and other small mammals, chances are they will nibble on your pumpkin, especially as the weather gets colder and other food sources grow more scare. Just break it up into smaller pieces and leave them out in the yard for a delicious and much-appreciated snack for the neighboring animals.

Turn seeds into feed

Pumpkin seeds are a delicious treat for many animals, including squirrels, chipmunks and some birds, according to the National Wildlife Federation. Even if you're going to compost your pumpkins, scoop the seeds out first and save them for the wildlife. 

If you're going to roast or dry the seeds for yourself, a little salt or seasoning is fine, but do not add anything to seeds you are putting out for animals, the National Wildlife Federation advises. Instead, just put the raw seeds out in a small dish or bowl and the wildlife will find them.

You can also add raw pumpkin seeds in with the bird seed for your backyard birds. If you prefer, you can also dry or roast them before putting them in a feeder, according to The Spruce. The variety of birds that eat pumpkin seeds can vary depending on what other food sources are available, but birds that eat the seeds include blue jays, cardinals, dark-eyed juncos, rose-breasted grosbeaks and some nuthatches, sparrows, chickadees and finches. 

Make your own pumpkin patch

This year's trash can be next year's treasure if you save some of your pumpkin seeds to plant your very own pumpkin patch. Seeds from this year's pumpkins can't be planted for next year's harvest until spring, so you'll first have to dry the seeds.

To do this, scoop the pumpkin seeds from the pumpkin and place them in a colander. Run them under cold water, making sure to separate the pulp from the seeds. Once clean, lay the seeds on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper, making sure the seeds aren't touching. Place the sheet in a cool, dry place. After a few days, flip the seeds over. Let them continue drying for three to four weeks, The Spruce advises. Make sure to throw away any seeds that show signs of mold.

Once the seeds are dry, store them in an envelope or brown paper bag until spring. The seeds shouldn't be planted until the threat of frost has passed. The best time to plant pumpkin seeds for use at Halloween is late May, according to the University of Illinois Extension. Pumpkins planted too early will rot before the holiday.

Pumpkins need a lot of room to grow, and they require full sun. Exact planting specifications vary depending on the variety. In general, they should be planted about 1 inch deep into hills or mounds of dirt. You can plant three to five seeds in each hill, and then thin out to the best one of two plants once they are established.