Christmas trees are truly the sign of the season. Picking out the right tree, setting it up in your home, and decorating it can be so much fun. But what do you do with the tree once the holidays are over and it’s starting to look a little bit sad? Here are a few ideas to get you started.
1. Take it to a tree-cycler
Many tree farms will actually take their old trees back and recycle them. They mulch the trees into a fine pulp and then use it to enrich the soil where future Christmas trees are planted. Call your local tree farm to see if there are any tree-cycling programs near you that you can take advantage of or check out what recycling programs your city offers.
2. Mulch the needles
Pine needles can actually be used as mulch. They are mold-resistant and biodegrade slowly, making them ideal for keeping soil damp for your plants. But wait, what do you do with the rest of the tree? Well, another option would be to…
3. Keep it for firewood
If you have a fireplace or wood-burning stove, your old Christmas tree could eventually help you keep your house warm. It does take a little while for the wood to dry out (the rule of thumb is 1 year for every inch of trunk thickness), but if you keep your tree in a warm, dry place (like a garage, for example) it’ll dry out and you’ll be able to use it for firewood at future Christmas celebrations.
4. Donate to conservation groups
Local conservation groups can make good use of your old Christmas trees for their conservation programs. Many will use the old trees as a habitat for vulnerable species. Others will throw the trees into ponds and lakes to create a habitat for fish to live in.
5. Host a chipper party
If the above options have failed, no conservation groups will take it, you don’t need the firewood, and there are no local tree-cycling programs, another option is to simply rent a wood chipper and mulch the tree yourself. They can be a little pricey to rent, so host a chipper party. Invite friends and neighbours over to chip their trees (for a small fee to help cover the cost of the chipper). At the end of the party, everyone goes home with some wood chips for their gardens!
If you read this blog, chances are you decided to celebrate with a real tree this year. We know the smell of fresh pine in your living room is hard to resist. But did you know, every time a Christmas tree is cut down it emits 16kg of C02 if brought to the landfill, and 3.5kg if the tree is burnt? The amount of carbon an individual tree emits once it has died is fairly substantial, but another big issue is that the tree is no longer sequestering carbon. The good news is you can still keep things merry and bright by planting some more trees for the ones that have been cut down with our Christmas Tree climate+ package. Offset your own holiday spirit or give the gift of trees.
Ever wonder where the tradition of putting up a Christmas tree came from? Check out our blog to learn the origin stories of this tradition.
