INDIAN RIVER COUNTY – Presents have been unwrapped – the boxes ripped open with wrapping paper piled high. The Christmas tree has started to lose its needles and the process of taking down the ornaments looms.
So what are you supposed to do with all the holiday trimmings once the holiday is over? Recycle.
This last weekend, recycling in Indian River County doubled, according to Elizabeth Pollick, the senior account clerk for the county’s Solid Waste Management District. “I would like to say it tripled,” she said, but the official numbers had not yet been prepared.
Pollick’s family serves as an example, she said, for all the waste generated through the holiday gifts.
“It’s the holiday wrapping paper,” she said. With a young child in the house, there was no shortage of presents to unwrap. Her family had two garbage cans filled with wrapping paper and broken down cardboard boxes.
“All that can be broken down and recycled,” Pollick said, which it was.
All five of the county’s convenience centers that handle trash and recyclables reported an uptick in visitors over the weekend as residents tried to unearth themselves from the wrapping paper and boxes.
“They were slam busy,” Pollick said, adding that many of them sent out more trucks to haul away the collected materials.
As for the Christmas trees, Pollick said there is no way to know just how many or what tonnage will be collected this year, as the trees are counted with regular yard pickup.
Residents who have paid yard service can set out their Christmas trees – devoid of all decorations – on the curb on their regular yard pickup day. Haulers will transport the tree to the county landfill where it will be mulched and taken to a waste-to-energy facility for use.
However, there are other options that could give Christmas trees a little more life once the holiday season is over.
The University of Illinois offers some suggestions that could work for county residents not bound to deed restrictions or who have a bit of property.
Your tree as a backyard feeder for squirrels, birds and other critters:
-String together popcorn or dried fruits and place it on the tree. The edible garland would attract squirrels and birds.
-Smear pine cones with peanut butter and roll it in bird seed.
-Apples cut into slices and cored become apple rings that can be slid onto branches.
Your tree as shelter:
-Simply placing the tree in the yard, either secured upright or on its side lying down, can serve as shelter for small animals seeking protection from the cold, the wind, inclement weather and predators.
Your tree in the garden:
-The now-bare tree can be used as a trellis in the garden, serving as a place for flowering vines to crawl.
-Small branches can be used as protective covering over young plants come spring as they begin to emerge.
Have your own suggestions for what to do with the Christmas tree once it has served your holiday purposes? Post your comments below.