Without fail each year brings some scumbags who toss their used Christmas trees out beside the road or dumb them on private property. Losers like that are litterbugs and need to stick to artificial trees. They made the effort to get the tree home to enjoy – once done with it they need to make the effort to dispose of it properly. For those who don’t, hope Santa leaves coal in your stocking next year.

Be sure to remove lights decorations, hangers and all tinsel from the tree. Do NOT burn them in woodstoves or fireplaces – they contain turpentine materials and are very flammable. They can also contribute to creosote buildup in your chimney increasing your risk of a chimney fire.

Many places have drop off points or even pick up for your used trees. They can be ground into mulch – used to help prevent erosion in erosion prone areas, and are sometimes used in lakes and ponds for fish habitat.

If you want to enjoy your tree a bit longer and don’t mind eventually having to deal with the brittle and crumbly corpse of it, secure it to something in your backyard and use it for a bird feeder/shelter. Suet, popcorn strings, etc. will be greatly appreciated by birds, the branches used for shelter and your family will be able to enjoy watching them. It’s a nice way to provide an all natural bird feeder.

Enjoy!