Save The Pumpkins!

Fall is usually a time of great fun: Halloween trick or treating, dressing up in costumes, and pumpkin carving, what’s not to love? And along with these fun activities, you’ve got pumpkin spice galore: lattes, scones, donuts, and that’s just the beginning. But have you ever thought about the actual pumpkins, and not just their flavor? Thousands of pumpkins are taken from their patches, only to be bought and tortured by humans. For your Starbucks frappuccino or your Bath & Body Works scented lotion, the sad truth is that there are many, many, many uses for the tasty fruit.

I know what your thinking. They are just food, who cares what they feel? It’s not even a big problem, right? Wrong. While it may not seem like it, pumpkin cruelty is a huge problem. Fall season means millions of pumpkins are pulled from their families and forced into large crates, awaiting a grisly death. Will it be by the hands of a child, innocently carving a pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern? Or maybe by the tools of a baker, slicing and boiling a healthy gourd to make a pie? Whichever it is, pumpkins are dying just so we can indulge in delectable goodies.

What is the pumpkin’s worst enemy? A bakery! Even vegetarians don’t consume pumpkins like the local bakery. Bakers prowl the veggies aisle, searching for their next pumpkin victim. They seek out the best looking pumpkin and cruelly seperate it from its friends and family.

Pumpkins must live anxiety-filled lives. They should be able to enjoy themselves in their patches with their families. So do them a favor – Ignore the pumpkin spice this season and find another option. You could even protest pumpkin cruelty at the farmers market with some giant signs. Maybe opt to carve a pineapple instead and put it out for all to see. No matter how big or small the act may be, it just might save their lives.