REAL CHRISTMAS TREES AND RECYLING (TREECYLING)

Did you know that real Christmas trees are better for the environment then artificial Christmas trees? One of the several reasons is because real Christmas trees can be recycled otherwise known as "treecycling".

Of the 30-35 million real Christmas trees sold every year 93% of these trees are recycled in one manner or another. Several methods are employed when recycling Christmas trees.

The most common way to recycle Christmas trees is to turn trees into mulch. The collected trees are sent through a chipper. The chips are a great way to add beauty, soil water retention and a wonderful scent to landscapes.

Some of the less common recycling methods include:

• beachfront erosion prevention
• lake and river shoreline stabilization
• fish habitat
• river delta sedimentation management

Many community recycling programs offer drop off points or even curbside pickup to encourage Christmas tree recycling. A great resource when finding or starting a community "treecycle" program is the Earth911 website.