Decorating a fresh Christmas tree is a very popular tradition. It brings a bit of nature to your living room, and the sight of green leaves of the Christmas tree and the fresh smell is quite refreshing. But after everyone unwrapped their presents and stowed away the ornaments and the decorations, the Christmas tree disposal is one of the most critical questions for every family. There are many ways you can repurpose your Christmas trees after the holidays. You can turn them into firewood, mulch, or bird habitats. By repurposing your tree, you can keep it out of a landfill and provide a benefit to your local wildlife.
Use the tree for firewood or bonfire
If you have a back garden and live in an area where open fires are allowed, you can use the tree for firewood or a bonfire. It’s a great way to reduce the number of trees in landfills or incinerators. First, cut off the branches and cut the trunk into logs. If you have a fire pit in the backyard, you can make a bonfire. You can also use paper decorations as kindling to make the wood burn longer. If you have children, this is an exciting way to teach them about recycling by letting them help with collecting the branches and logs. Gathering with your family and friends around a dancing fire in the winter keeps you warm, and it could be a fun activity too. Even though old Christmas trees are great for a bonfire, they are not suitable to use in your indoor fireplace. The sap in those trees can stick to the inside of your chimney, which could cause a chimney fire.
Turn your tree into mulch
If you live in a flat or an area where you do not have permission to burn fires, you will need to find another way of disposing of the tree. One option is to compost your tree. First, cut your tree into minimal bits that can fit into your compost bin. It’s an economical way to dispose of the waste. If you do not own a composting system, look out for the recycling events in your city. There are tree recycling events organized throughout the whole month of January in most cities. Cut down the tree into chunks to make it easy to transport and deliver it to the recycling point. In some communities, some services come and pick up your tree from your curb for recycling and deliver them to composting services. Then the composters will turn the tree into rich soil that can be used in parks to help maintain trees and plants, so it’s a win-win situation! These recycling programs are aimed at reducing landfill waste.
Create a bird sanctuary
If you have a backyard and are a bird lover, you can place your Christmas tree in your backyard and create a sanctuary for birds. First, remove all the tinsels and decorations. Then anchor the tree on the stump into the ground or in a large bucket of damp sand. To attract birds to your newly made bird sanctuary, you have to provide three basic birds’ needs: food, water, and shelter. While your tree provides shelter, you can give birds a birdbath and bird seed. Sliced apples, oranges, and strings of popcorn are great options. That way, not only does it help the birds when food is scarce, but you will also enjoy birdwatching for hours during the winter.
Instead of tossing your Christmas tree into the trash that will end up in the landfill, consider many ways you can repurpose your tree in an environmentally friendly manner. It’ll make you a responsible citizen and at the same time help the environment as well.