"Why not just have the trash haulers put it in the landfill? When Christmas trees decompose in landfills, they produce methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. According to the Carbon Trust, a single landfilled tree has a carbon footprint of 16kg CO2e, compared to just 3.5kg when properly recycled. That's right, you can cut your tree's environmental impact by 80% by taking the right steps."
"What happens next to my tree? The truth is that just because someone picks up your tree, it doesn't mean it won't end up in a landfill. Unless you ask before the tree leaves your property, how will you know for sure where it's headed? Plus, when you recycle your tree, you may actually get some freebies. In cities such as New York, Denver, and Austin, Christmas trees are mulched, and the resulting material is made available to the public free of charge."
Americans purchase 25 to 30 million real Christmas trees annually. When trees decompose in landfills they produce methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. A single landfilled tree has a carbon footprint of 16kg CO2e, compared to 3.5kg CO2e when properly recycled, an approximately 80% reduction. Recycling options include mulching, with communities often offering the resulting mulch free to residents. Tree recycling programs and curbside collection typically run only for a few weeks into January and may require separate pickup trucks. Late disposal can be treated as bulky waste and incur extra fees.
Read at Earth911
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