Creative Christmas Tree Recycling Ideas | Video

If your Christmas tree is quickly fading with more needles on the floor than on the tree, it’s time for it to go.  But before you put it out on the street, you might want to consider some fun Christmas tree recycling ideas to give your holiday tree a second life!

• RECYCLE IT – Your community, city, town or county may provide a Chrismas tree recycling drop off area where your tree can be turned into mulch, often used a mulch for community gardens, parks or other local green areas.
• SUBMERGE IT – Live near a lake or pond?  Turns out old Christmas trees provide a terrific natural habitat for fresh water fish. By dumping your pine or spruce tree in the water way, it can decompose and attract algae that fish can also feed on.
• GIVE IT TO THE BIRDS – Christmas trees placed in the garden or backyard can make an excellent bird sanctuary.  Be sure to first remove all the ornaments and garland, then hang fresh orange slices or recycle strung popcorn from branches to create an attractive bird hangout.
• MAKE COASTERS – Want a natural reminder of your holiday that can be used year-round?  Try this Christmas tree recycling project for DIY’rs. Use a handsaw to slice your Christmas tree trunk into slices about ½ inches thick for use as coasters or trivets under hot food.  Once the slices are cut, leave them out for a couple of weeks to be sure they’re really dry, then seal or stain them. You can even record the year the tree helped decorate your home on the bottom of the coaster for a fun holiday reminder.
• MAKE FIREWOOD – Have a fireplace or wood stove?  Complete your holiday tree’s journey through life by converting it to heat for your home as firewood. Store the tree outside in a covered are for a few weeks to let it dry out, then remove the branches and cut up the trunk into fireplace or wood stove sized logs.

• FEED THE ELEPHANTS – If you happen to live near Tennessee, you can donate your Christmas tree to the elephants at The Elephant Sanctuary!  In a 2 year old program, the Sanctuary collect trees from local residents to feed to the elephants.  .  According to the Sanctuary, elephant scan consume approximately 150 pounds of fruits, plant material and vgrain each day and Christmas trees are chock full of nutrients and the needles can aid in the elephant’s digestion.