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How to Recycle your Christmas Tree

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, Americans throw away more than 30 million Christmas trees at the end of the Christmas season.

If you want to make sure your cut tree finds an organic end, recycle it! In the weeks after Christmas, many communities offer curbside pick-up of trees, while others offer drop-off locations or wood chipping services. Make sure you know when these services will be offered, or your tree will wind up in a landfill where even the most natural trash is unlikely to decompose.

These services will usually chop and mulch your tree so that it can be used for weed control and water conservation in public areas and parks; sunk in lakes to provide habitat for fish; or turned into fuel at biomass plants.

Be sure to remove any tinsel, lights, and ornaments. Unfortunately, trees with artificial snow or flocking can’t be mulched, so next year, make your tree more earth friendly by avoiding such decorations.

While many of us are tempted to wrap our tree in a plastic bag to protect against the deluge of dry needles left behind when moving it, these bags cannot be recycled with the tree. Make the recycling and cleanup process easier by wrapping your tree in a sheet that you can shake out and wash after transporting to your recycling drop-off spot.

If you have a backyard, consider using the tree branches as a protective mulch for your garden, or using the needles in your composting system. Or stand the tree in a distant corner of the yard as a bird haven.

If you need help recycling your tree, look online on Earth911 to find a recycling center near your zip code.

Artificial trees made of wire and polyvinylchloride (PVC) cannot be recycled and will release carcinogenic dioxins if incinerated. Keep your artificial tree out of landfill by sharing it with others via Craigslist or some other freecycling network.

All seriousness aside, and while we don’t recommend it, you could always turn your tree into a rocket, like this family did: