ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½×îаæÏÂÔØ

Pumpkin Pitch Collects 500 Pounds of Pumpkins

ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½×îаæÏÂÔØ University teamed up with Will County Land Use Department’s Resource Recovery and Energy Division to collect 500 lbs. of pumpkins during the second annual Pumpkin Pitch on Nov. 6-7, at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½×îаæÏÂÔØ University’s main campus in Romeoville. Participants composted their jack-o’-lanterns instead of adding them to a landfill.

Contestants tossed or rolled pumpkins into a large garbage bin and in return, they received a raffle ticket for a chance to win one of four $25 gift certificates donated by Heroes West Sports Grill. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½×îаæÏÂÔØ University then hauled the tossed pumpkins to the Waste Management-operated Willow Ranch compost site in Romeoville.

Jaclyn Boyle, facilities coordinator for and administration at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½×îаæÏÂÔØ University, said the event reinforced what ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½×îаæÏÂÔØ students are already learning from the University’s year-round composting program. In 2013, ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½×îаæÏÂÔØ’ main dining hall began an organics collection. Pre-consumer food scraps, which includes all the food scraps created through food prep, are now being diverted from a landfill and instead, sent to be composted.

By composting this waste, ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½×îаæÏÂÔØ University is taking a great step to reducing the amount of materials sent to a landfill and once more showing its commitment to sustainable practices.

ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½×îаæÏÂÔØ University is a Catholic university in the Lasallian tradition offering distinctive undergraduate and graduate programs to nearly 7,000 traditional and adult students. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½×îаæÏÂÔØ offers multiple campus locations, online degree programs, and a variety of formats that provide accessibility and convenience to a growing student population. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½×îаæÏÂÔØ prepares intellectually engaged, ethically grounded, globally connected, and socially responsible graduates. The seventh largest private not-for-profit university in Illinois, ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½×îаæÏÂÔØ has been nationally recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. Visit for further information.