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According to tradition, your Christmas tree should be taken down by January sixth. But what do you do with it after you take it down? Depending on how festive you were feeling when you bought the tree, you might be left having to deal with an eight-foot monstrosity that is definitely not going to fit in your tiny kitchen trash can. 

Luckily, there are a few eco-conscious options when it comes to getting rid of your Christmas tree, and none of them involve hacking it into tiny pieces and jamming it in the dumpster. 

Recycle It

Most counties offer Christmas recycling services. Some will come to pick the tree up from you, but most require you to drive it over to them. Check to see how many trees you are allowed to recycle, as many have a two-tree limit. 

The good news is that this service is usually free and it ensures your tree doesn’t end up rotting in a landfill somewhere. Often, your tree will be repurposed as mulch or other wood-based materials, although they may also simply be reused as-is. 

Use the Wood

Know any woodworkers? They might come in handy this post-Christmas season! 

There are a plethora of ways you can use your old Christmas tree. Our favorite is turning it into wooden ornaments to adorn next year’s tree. You could also make small wooden toys from it, depending on your skill level. Christmas is a special time of year, so why not make the memories last forever and save a tree in the process? 

Compost It

 

There are a lot of benefits to composting at home. Compost feeds the soil, reduces the amount of fertilizer required, helps bacteria and fungi thrive, and reduces methane emissions and your carbon footprint. 

Along with food waste, wood chips and yard trimmings make fantastic compost. Chop up your tree and add it to your compost. Your garden and all the worms and bugs in it will thank you! 

Give It Back to Nature

Dead trees make fantastic homes for crawly critters. This Christmas season, why not give back by putting your tree into a nature-filled space. It will quickly turn into a cozy space for bugs, fungi, and anything else that thrives in rotting and woodsy environments. 

If you have a pond in your backyard that’s big enough to fit a tree in, drop it in there. The branches make fantastic hiding spaces for fish and bottom feeders. 

Just make sure you’re allowed to put the tree in whatever space you choose, otherwise, you may be fined, and that would not feel very festive. 

Have It Replanted 

This one requires a little planning ahead, so you may not be able to do it with this year’s tree. Some Christmas tree farms will replant your Christmas tree after the season is over in exchange for a partial refund. 

You simply drop it back off once you’re done with it and it gets replanted until next December. This is the most eco-friendly option since you completely avoid throwing away a perfectly good tree. 

In Conclusion 

Where you live will help determine how you get rid of your Christmas tree. See what services are available in your area and decide which one works best for you. Christmas is a celebratory and indulgent time, so take the time to make an eco-conscious decision at the close of the season.

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