Tip of the Week

Tree Purpose

No one appreciates a Christmas tree more than I do. I am truly overcome with holiday joy as the smell of pine wafts through my apartment and colorful lights fill the room with that warm glow. But come New Years Day, I'm ready to pack up the bulbs and the stuffed Santas, sweep up the pine needles, and drop ol' tannenbaum to the curb. Besides, natural Christmas trees are 100 percent biodegradable as long as they aren't deposited in airless landfills and can be recycled into mulch and hiking trail chippings. Some cities have even recycled Christmas trees into barriers for shoreline stabilization and beachfront erosion prevention. In northwest Indiana, the Recycling and Waste Reduction District has partnered with the Moraine Ridge Wildlife Rehabilitation Group to convert Christmas trees into shelters for birds, chipmunks and other small wildlife. And in Alabama, 300 Christmas trees were used to rebuild the Gulf Coast after 2004's Hurricane Ivan. The way I see it, with so many ways it can be reused, as soon as my tree has served its Christmas purpose, it ought to move on.

Not only have many cities across the country set up locations where you can drop off trees for recycling, but some even offer curbside pickup. To find out if your community has a Christmas tree recycling program, contact the local parks and recreation department, public works department, the local office which handles recycling (often at the department of sanitation) or the mayor's office.

You can also access local Christmas tree recycling information by entering your zip code at the National Christmas Tree Association web site (http://www.christmastree.org/recycle_program.cfm) or by contacting the organization Earth 911 (800/CLEANUP, www.earth911.org).

You may even be able to repurpose the tree yourself, using the trunk and branches to add natural accents to the lawn or garden, or let the smell of Christmas linger by making potpouri out of pine needles. See http://www.christmastree.org/recycle_program.cfm for a recipe.

© The Green Guide, 2008

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