Over 27 million real Christmas trees were bought in the US this year.
And when the holidays are over we’ve got to do something with them.
But trees, they're big and they're heavy.
Imagine 27 million of these.
Not only that, trees are biodegradable so they should be ending up in nature,
not a landfill.
I’m Lucy Biggers and this is One Small Step
Are they ending up in the dump?
Or do they somehow get recycled?
Here in New York City at least some trees have been getting recycled for over 20 years.
This is our 22nd annual citywide mulchfest
where we celebrate the season by inviting people to come out to their local parks and
chip their christmas tree.
The trees are collected during the first two weeks of January, when the city sets up over
70 christmas tree drop-off locations
It culminates in a weekend of chipping where people can bring home their own mulch or christmas
tree potpourri.
In 2017, NYC’s Mulchfest turned 26,000 Christmas trees into mulch.
Well, it turns out, they’re getting recycled too.
For a decade the Department of Sanitation has run a curbside pick-up program
that recycles around 240,000 trees each year.
You just put your tree out on the street
during the first two weeks of January.
They send out special collection trucks
just for the trees and they bring them to locations where they have contractors
chip them up and turn them into mulch.
It’s important to note, ornaments, tree stands and lights must be removed or else
the trees will get picked up with the trash.
So if I am walking around and I see mulch in the
parks in the summer is it likely that's old Christmas trees?
Absolutely a lot of it came from the trees
that people are bringing to us today and tomorrow and it’s something that will be valuable
year round.
And that’s because recycling trees just makes sense.
whether it’s organics, whether it’s packing material, anything,
it costs a lot of money.
And by diverting it from the waste stream,
finding a productive use for it in the city,
saves money and really helps the park.
New York City spends $330 million dollars carting our trash to landfill each year.
Because we’re on a tiny island, our trash travels as far as
before it’s in the landfill.
And we’re producing trash on a huge scale, 8 million residents produce 12,000 tons of
trash every day.
That’s a lot of trains and trucks just carrying garbage.
By turning trees into mulch, we’re cutting down on how much stuff gets shipped to the dump.
Also, mulch is useful and gives trees a second life.
The mulch is an important element of building
a healthy park, it does a number of wonderful things, it moderates the soil temperature,
so it doesn't get too cold, it prevents weeds from growing, it retains moisture, it’s
great for the plants
Sending your tree through the wood chipper isn’t the only way to recycle it.
Some cities sink Christmas trees into ponds, because the branches make a great habitat
for small fish.
Coastal towns also give trees a second life by using them to reinforce beaches that have eroded.
Of the millions of trees we use each year it’s hard to tell what percentage get recycled.
And I’m sure there are still many that unfortunately end up at the dump.
But it’s great to see that as an individual what you choose to do with your tree not only
prevents waste but also helps your environment by creating a valuable resource for plants
and animals.
And its pretty cool to know that the next time you see a tree on the curb you can imagine
it as mulch feeding next season’s plants.
Instead of post-holiday waste.
And to recycle your tree contact your town or check online to find out your town's policy.
Make sure you're removing all those ornaments and those lights.
This was One Small Step.
I'm Lucy Biggers. Share this if you enjoyed it and we'll see you next time.