Growing up in the snowy woods of Western Massachusetts, my family never worried about how to dispose of our Christmas tree after it had served its purpose. We just chucked it back into the woods, next to three or four dried up ghosts of Christmases past in various shades of brown and orange that matched our 1970s decor. (Unfortunately, it was the 1990s).
Living in a third floor apartment in New York, I've since found getting rid of a tree naturally is not quite so easy. It's difficult enough just to lug the thing down for trash pick up, but your evergreen deserves a green solution. So how do you recycle a Christmas tree?
The first step is to resist the urge to leave it for the garbageman; Christmas trees can be recycled for all sorts of environmentally-friendly purposes.
Here in New York, the Department of Sanitation picks up trees and chips them into compost for parks, ball fields and gardens. New Yorkers can also drop their trees off at Mulchfest and take home a bag of mulch for their own garden.
In Louisiana, used Christmas trees prevent erosion in coastal wetlands. Christmas trees are also commonly used in constructing or rebuilding wildlife habitats. Last year, Burlington, Vermont burned its collected trees for electricity. (Burning your own sappy evergreen tree at home can be tricky; recycling is greener and easier.) Check out the National Christmas Tree Association for more information on the environmental uses and benefits of Christmas trees.
Tree recycling programs are locally based, so search online, check your newspaper or call your department of sanitation or recycling center to find out when and where to recycle your tree. Many municipalities have collection hours and local charities like the Boy Scouts often pick up trees in exchange for a donation. Remember to totally remove all lights, decorations and fasteners from the tree before recycling it; the general rule of thumb is to send if off the way you would find it in the forest.
One final word to those thinking they're one-upping recyclers by buying a reusable fake tree: fake trees are usually made out of harmful PVC and are not recyclable. No matter how long it lasts, your fake tree will eventually up in the landfill. While they are disposable, Christmas trees are a sustainable, renewable, recyclable resource. For every tree cut from a farm, more trees are planted. That’s how Christmas tree farms stay in business! And in the seven years it takes that tree to grow, it sucks carbon dioxide from the air, while your PVC tree offgases toxic chemicals.
So don’t kick your tree to the curb for the garbage man this year. Recycle it and have a green Christmas.
