TREEcycle your Christmas Trees

Are you wondering what to do with the beautiful tree that brought you so much joy this holiday season?

The answer is simple- treecycle it! Treecycling is the simple act of re-purposing your Christmas tree instead of throwing it away.  (And, before all the needles fall into oblivion on your living room rug!)

Why buy REAL?
There is an ongoing debate as to which is better for the environment, real or fake. And instead of discussing, I propose these facts from Earth 911 for you to make your own judgement: 

• There are approximately 25-30 million real Christmas trees sold in the U.S. every year.
• 85% of artificial trees are manufactured in China.
• For every real Christmas tree harvested, up to three seedlings are planted in its place the following Spring.
• There are about 350,000 acres in production for growing Christmas trees. Each acre provides the daily oxygen requirements of 18 people.
• It can take 15 years to grow a tree of average retail sale height (6 ft), but the average growing time is 7 years.
• The top Christmas tree production states are Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Washington.

Why Recycle?
Recycled trees are most commonly used for mulch, erosion protection, habitat creation and shoreline stabilization. However, the possibilities don’t end there. Every year communities across the country are finding new ways to use treecycling, from energy production to wildlife habitats.  Check out Seasonal Wisdom's multitude of creative ways to recycle your tree!

More and more communities are offering seasonal treecycling programs, and it has never been easier to participate.  Check out Earth911’s Treecycle Program recycling options that range from curbside pickup to consumer drop-off and DYI projects. We can't think of a better way to start your year!

Frugal or Sustainable... Or Both?

Can you imagine if instead of chopping down a tree from (fill in the blank small town), New York City took a stand on sustainability? 

Now, don't get me wrong, The Rockefeller Christmas Tree is as sustainable as they can make it, with LED lighting and solar power, but we could do better.  We could be more like... Lithuania?!

For a third year, the city of Kaunas, Lithuania approached artist Jolanta Šmidtienė to assist with their annual holiday decorating. 

Recognizing the city’s somewhat dire financial state, the artist challenged herself to build something beautiful and different, yet affordable. 

The result: an enormous 13-meter tall Christmas tree made from nearly 40,000 recycled Sprite bottles. 

At night the tree is lit from the inside resulting in a glowing, translucent, emerald green spruce that’s making headlines across the country.

Now that's what I call putting the green in green.  Merry Christmas! (For more photos visit Design You Trust)