WXIA-TV: Keeping a ‘Green’ Resolution
Filed under: Earth 911 - January 5, 2008
By Marc Pickard
Every year around this time, we commit ourselves to accomplishing something personally significant in the New Year, otherwise known as New Year’s resolutions.
All too often we begin with the best of intentions and end up with the same list for next year.
There’s an easy way to check off one important resolution for 2008: to be “green” for the New Year.
How sad that something which had offered us the opportunity to brighten our holidays should end up ignored and unwanted now that Christmas is over.
It used to be that an unwanted Christmas tree was as worthless as a two day old soufflé.
But not anymore.
“This is number one on the list of how to green your holiday,” said Keep Georgia Beautiful’s Kim Portmess, “So we made it easy for you by making it a tradition each year and the word’s out there.”
Weatherby’s Christmas trees, a Marietta institution, got the word. “We’re loading the smaller ones to take to the chipper sites,” Jack Weatherby said. “They can be recycled for parks and rec and places like that.”
Weatherby understands that every year he’ll have several hundred trees left after Christmas. But these trees will not have lived in vain; they will find a new life as mulch.
“A layer of three to four inch mulch can help protect the root system of any garden or outdoor landscape systems,” Portmess pointed out. “That will protect and mitigate the effects of drought that we’re all suffering from.”
Christmas tree recycling day is Saturday, January 5th, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Free dogwood seedlings are available while supplies last.
To find the nearest drop-off location to you, visit Earth911.org or KeepGeorgiaBeautiful.org. You can also call 1-800-CLEANUP, and follow the prompts.
Before taking your tree to be recycled, be sure to remove any lights and/or decorations from the tree.