Christmas time has passed and you are left with the mess.
Luckily for everyone, there are a lot of resources around to help you dispose of your Christmas waste most properly.
Perhaps, the most universal element the Christmas tree (hopefully real, local, and organic) can be disposed of in many different ways.
Depending on your living situation, there are a few great ways to re-use your Christmas tree. If you have a wood chipper, Christmas trees make great mulch for landscaping, gardening, and compost. Or, allow a few weeks for your Christmas tree to dry out, it’ll make great firewood. Surprisingly, Christmas trees make great habitats for fish. If you have a pond or stream on your property, toss it in. The fish will find it and thrive. Also, many local conservation groups would be happy to take that tree off your hands. They’ll know where it can best be used. Still, don’t get too excited. You shouldn’t just throw that tree into any public waterway. If you do have land, you should always consider allowing it to decompose in some corner of your property. Allow nature to take hold.
You might also want to consider adorning the tree with bird food (strung cranberries, pine cones covered in peanut butter and bird seed, etc.) from branches. You should, of course, leave the tree in its stand for this option. This is one of my favorite options, because it moves the holiday season forward without the abrupt end that is too often felt. Plus, you can still do all the other options for re-use later. It might be a good way to let that tree dry out a bit before it goes toward a cozy fire.
Oh, and be sure to take off all the ornaments and lights before you turn that tree into mulch, firewood, a marine habitat, or recycle it.
If you do wish to recycle it, don’t fret there are many options for that as well. However, depending upon where you are in the country, your options may very greatly. The best and easiest way to check the recycling program your municipality or local conservation group has in place is to hop on over to Earth 911. There you’ll not only find a fact sheet about Christmas tree production, but also a list of the top ways in which Christmas trees are recycled. Also, if you simply type in “Christmas tree” and your zip code in the Find A Recycling Center bar at the top of the page, Earth 911 will bring up a list of places to bring that tree.
If you have a fake tree, keep on using that thing. In fact, you might as well put it into your will and pass down to your heirs. (Fake trees are made out of non-biodegradable plastics.) Or, maybe you can use for an art project.
