The holidays are over, the decorations are coming down, and a question arises: what to do with the Christmas tree? Tossing it in a landfill has significant environmental costs. According to the U.S. EPA, organic waste in landfills generates methane, a greenhouse gas over 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere.
The Benefits of Treecycling
But there's a better way. "Treecycling" your Christmas tree is a fantastic community service project that helps the environment. The National Christmas Tree Association highlights several common uses:
- Mulch: Most municipalities chip trees into mulch, which is used for public parks and trails to conserve water, prevent weeds, and protect soil.
- Habitat Creation: Sunk into lakes, old trees can create protective habitats for fish and other aquatic life—a practice used by many state Departments of Natural Resources.
- Coastal Protection: In some areas, trees are used to create sand dunes to prevent beach erosion, providing a natural barrier against storms.
Local Seattle Eastside Recycling Options
For residents in Redmond, Kirkland, Bellevue, Issaquah, Sammamish, and surrounding areas, local Scout Troops provide an annual tree pickup service as a fundraiser. This is a convenient way to recycle your tree while supporting youth in your community. You can find more information and schedule a pickup at ScoutTreeDrive.org.
How Your Troop Can Help
Organizing a Christmas tree pickup is a perfect project for a Scout troop or community group. It can be a service project or even a fundraiser.
"Coordinating a treecycling event is a great way to teach youth about logistics and environmental stewardship at the same time."
- Plan Your Routes: Use the Community Care app to map out addresses that have requested a pickup.
- Optimize Collections: The Route Planner can create the most efficient path for your volunteer drivers, saving time and fuel.
- Track Progress: Watch the map update in real-time as trees are collected, and easily generate a report of your impact at the end of the day.
This holiday season, give your community the gift of sustainability and turn your old tree into a valuable resource.