Page Title

· Local government offices, such as the Public Works Department, or your sanitation service. Most communities have some type of Christmas tree disposal program. Some have central collection points; others collect the trees at curbside.

· Conservation groups. Some hunting and fishing groups collect trees and use them to provide habitat for fish and wildlife.

For many of us, going out to find the perfect Christmas tree to bring home and decorate is a holiday highlight. And using real trees is much better for the environment. However, just because Christmas is over doesn’t mean your tree has to go to waste. Remember to recycle it and extend its usefulness.

The true spirit of the winter holidays is better enjoyed by all of us when those “Christmas aficionados” go out of their way to light up the street and the inside of their homes. Despite the beauty of it all, the extravagant decorating also has a figuratively ugly side. In addition to the high electric bills resulting from those many twinkling lights, there is also a lot of waste. However, there are many simple ways to combat that waste. One of the simplest ways is to buy a real Christmas tree, and then recycle it at the end of the season.

Every year, approximately 33 million real Christmas trees are sold in North America. Most are grown on American soil, while most fake trees are made in China. Real trees are a renewable, recyclable resource, while fake trees contain plastics that are not biodegradable. Every year, seedlings are replanted to take the place of those harvested for our homes. With over 500,000 acres of trees, each acre provides the daily oxygen requirement for as many as eighteen people.

Those beautiful, green trees light up our homes, but by the end of the season, they are little more than waste to us.

Christmas tree recycling is an important way to give a renewable, recyclable resource back to the environment. The recycled trees can be used in such instances as shoreline stabilization, beachfront erosion prevention, chipping for mulch, and river delta sedimentation management.

So, now you are probably wondering how to go about actually recycling your tree. If you decide to recycle your tree you can do a few different things:

· Place the tree in the yard or garden for use by birds and other wildlife. The branches provide shelter from strong winds and cold. Food can be supplied by hanging fruit slices, seed cakes, or suet bags on its branches. You can also smear peanut butter and seeds in pine cones and hang them in the tree.

· Prune off the branches and place the boughs over perennials as a type of winter mulch.

· Chip the tree and use as mulch around trees, shrubs, or in flower beds.

However, if you can’t use the tree yourself, contact: