After the magic of Christmas and the glitter of New Year’s Eve have passed, it’s time to close up the holiday chapter, including getting rid of your real Christmas tree. Rather than send it to the landfill in your garbage bin, participate in a local Christmas tree recycling program or give it a second life in your own backyard.
I live in Vancouver, which is a very green city. Both in the sheer amount of greenery and nature that surrounds us, and also in our daily practices. The correlation between the two is significant, I’m sure!
When it comes to my Christmas tree, it’s always been a no-brainer for me to get a locally sourced, fresh one. I’ve visited the tree farm itself as well as gotten a permit to cut down one on crown land.
And when Christmas has come and gone, it’s also a no-brainer for me to drop off the Christmas tree to be recycled or chop it up to decompose naturally in my garden.
Here’s how and what to expect when you recycle your Christmas tree.
The Artificial vs Real Christmas Tree Debate
Depending on who you ask or where you read, you’ll get a different answer for whether an artificial or a real tree is better for the environment; it depends on how you use and dispose of your tree.
Fake Christmas trees are made of plastic that won’t break down and are nearly impossible to recycle. They come wrapped in packaging, and many now come with the lights pre-installed on the tree. They’re also produced overseas for many regions.
But if you consistently use an artificial tree year after year, these environmental effects are minimized.
A real Christmas tree is almost always going to be better for the environment simply because it’s biodegradable. It’s easy to find local Christmas tree recycling to dispose of them in the New Year. However, they can become a waste issue when people aren’t chopping and mulching them down.
Real Christmas trees must be properly disposed of to be environmentally conscious.
Christmas Tree Recycling Programs
Why should you recycle a tree? Like all compost and organic matter, you want to avoid sending it to a landfill. Since there is no oxygen, organic matter can’t break down properly. In fact, compost needs air, moisture, greens, and browns to really break down. In a landfill, the compost will break down into methane gas, a powerful greenhouse gas.
According to the National Christmas Tree Association, there are more than 4,000 Christmas tree recycling programs in the USA. Most people in urban areas will have access to a nearby program.
In early January, look for a local recycling program for your Christmas tree. Usually, this is a drop-off location.
How many trees actually make it to these recycling programs, I’m not sure. And that’s the key to keeping your real Christmas tree environmentally friendly. Out with the tinsel, in with the mulch!
Before recycling your Christmas tree, remove all decorations, lights, and ornaments. If you decided to flock your tree, unfortunately, it is no longer recyclable due to the artificial ingredients in the flocking powder.
Most municipalities have a Christmas tree recycling program where they will pick up your Christmas tree curbside, have a collection point, or allow you to dispose of it at a compost facility.
There, the city will chop up the tree and turn it into compost or mulch.
Beware, the dates for tree disposal can be quite early. The one in Vancouver is set for January 10, and I’ve seen it be even earlier.
Most Christmas trees are recycled into mulch.
How to Recycle a Real Christmas Tree at Home
If you don’t have access to Christmas tree removal, you can easily give your tree a second life in your own backyard.
If you have the space, you can use the tree as a habitat in your yard. Set it somewhere out of the way and allow for creatures to move in and nest there. It will naturally break down over time.
In the past, I’ve used an old Christmas tree as garden edging. You can also have it chopped up and used as mulch.
Use the branches and logs as the base of a Hügelkultur bed or to economically fill the bottom of a raised bed.
A Hügelkultur bed.
If you’re feeling crafty, I have a whole list of ideas on how you can reuse your Christmas tree and turn it into various pieces of décor.
It’s important that we close the loop on our waste. Even when it comes to natural and organic materials, we must be mindful of how we dispose of them. I hope your Christmas tree gets a second life in the garden this year!
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A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
