Seven Ways to Recycle Your Christmas Tree

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If you enjoyed a real Christmas tree this holiday season, you might now be wondering how to recycle your tree.

While most cities have special curbside pickup schedules, and some Boy Scout troops will even pick up trees for a small fee, trashing your tree isn’t the only option. Here are some other ways to recycle your Christmas tree.

(PRNewsfoto/Erie Insurance)

  • Make mulch. Remove the branches and use a chipper to cut them down to size.
  • Turn it into a fish feeder. Sunken Christmas trees serve as a refuge and a feeding area for fish.
  • Fashion it into a no–cost bird feeder. Laying the tree in your backyard will create a safe haven for birds. To attract feathery friends, place orange slices or string popcorn around the tree.
  • Help create safe paths or erosion barriers. Some communities use shredded trees as a natural liner for hiking paths. Others place Christmas trees around beaches to help prevent sand and soil erosion.
  • Replant it. If you opted for a rooted tree, you can replant it and enjoy it for years to come.
  • Create some crafts. Cut slabs from the trunk, sand them down and apply a coat of polyurethane to create coasters and trivets for your home.
  • Use it for outdoor firewood. Christmas trees do not make for safe indoor firewood—but you can throw branches in an outdoor fire pit. They’re quick to ignite, so use them to get a fire started.

Whatever your plans, monitor your tree for freshness. Typically, shortly after Christmas it should be removed from the house – dry trees are a fire hazard.

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