Published: Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Reduce, reuse, treecycle
Give your Christmas tree a second life as goat fodder or compost
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Ellen Felsenthal Photography
Goats at New Moon Farm Goat Rescue & Sanctuary in Arlington love to eat donated cut Christmas trees, including the needles, bark and small branches, a welcome break from their daily diet of hay.
If you have a cut Christmas tree in your home, now is a good time to start thinking about how you're going to recycle it.
Most trees can be composted or chipped and then used as landscaping materials, giving your tree a second life, rather than a trip to the landfill.
No matter where you recycle your tree, it is important to remove anything that won't break down naturally, including lights, tinsel and other decorations. Flocked trees cannot be recycled and should be disposed of as garbage.
Tree recycling options abound in Snohomish County:
Boy Scouts of America: Local Boy Scout troops have made Christmas tree recycling a tradition — and a service project called Operation Dry Needles — by offering curbside or drop-off tree recycling for Snohomish County residents in most urban areas.
This year, the big date to remember is Jan. 8.
That's when most troops need you to either drop off your tree at a set location or have it ready at the curb for pickup.
That said, a few troops are offering tree recycling service on Jan. 1, 2 or 9, so be sure to visit www.dryneedles.com or call 425-338-0380 to see exactly what the troops are doing in your neighborhood.
People who rely on the Boy Scouts for recycling usually are asked to make a small donation to the troop, typically $5 to $20, in person or by mail.
Goats: Then there are the goats. Goats love to eat Christmas trees.
That's why the folks at New Moon Farm Goat Rescue & Sanctuary in Arlington are accepting cut-tree donations.
Goats on the farm are happy to eat evergreen tree needles, bark and small branches. In fact, Christmas tree foliage offers the goats a welcome break from their daily diet of hay, said farm owner Ellen Felsenthal.
Cut-tree donations will be accepted from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 2 or by appointment at the farm at 19111 Burn Road, Arlington. See www.newmoonfarm.org or call 425-791-4513 for more information.
Garbage haulers: Many garbage and yard waste haulers will recycle trees for a small charge, usually about $5, if you put them out on the curb on select days.
Check with your hauler. If you don't know who your hauler is, visit www1.co.snohomish.wa.us and search “garbage haulers,” or call 425-388-3425.
Customers with yard waste service can also cut Christmas trees down into manageable pieces and put them in their yard waste bins for free recycling.
Compost facilities: Residents can also drop trees off at local composting facilities such as Pacific Topsoils, which has multiple locations in Snohomish County that will accept trees for $3 each. See www.pacifictopsoils.com or 800-884-7645.
You can also search 1800recycle.wa.gov to find other composting facilities in your area.
Snohomish County Solid Waste: Snohomish County will accept Christmas trees for $5 per tree, flocked or not, at its three transfer stations through March 31. Search “solid waste” at www1.co.snohomish.wa.us for transfer station information or call 425-388-3425.
Sarah Jackson: 425-339-3037, sjackson@heraldnet.com.
Most trees can be composted or chipped and then used as landscaping materials, giving your tree a second life, rather than a trip to the landfill.
No matter where you recycle your tree, it is important to remove anything that won't break down naturally, including lights, tinsel and other decorations. Flocked trees cannot be recycled and should be disposed of as garbage.
Tree recycling options abound in Snohomish County:
Boy Scouts of America: Local Boy Scout troops have made Christmas tree recycling a tradition — and a service project called Operation Dry Needles — by offering curbside or drop-off tree recycling for Snohomish County residents in most urban areas.
This year, the big date to remember is Jan. 8.
That's when most troops need you to either drop off your tree at a set location or have it ready at the curb for pickup.
That said, a few troops are offering tree recycling service on Jan. 1, 2 or 9, so be sure to visit www.dryneedles.com or call 425-338-0380 to see exactly what the troops are doing in your neighborhood.
People who rely on the Boy Scouts for recycling usually are asked to make a small donation to the troop, typically $5 to $20, in person or by mail.
Goats: Then there are the goats. Goats love to eat Christmas trees.
That's why the folks at New Moon Farm Goat Rescue & Sanctuary in Arlington are accepting cut-tree donations.
Goats on the farm are happy to eat evergreen tree needles, bark and small branches. In fact, Christmas tree foliage offers the goats a welcome break from their daily diet of hay, said farm owner Ellen Felsenthal.
Cut-tree donations will be accepted from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 2 or by appointment at the farm at 19111 Burn Road, Arlington. See www.newmoonfarm.org or call 425-791-4513 for more information.
Garbage haulers: Many garbage and yard waste haulers will recycle trees for a small charge, usually about $5, if you put them out on the curb on select days.
Check with your hauler. If you don't know who your hauler is, visit www1.co.snohomish.wa.us and search “garbage haulers,” or call 425-388-3425.
Customers with yard waste service can also cut Christmas trees down into manageable pieces and put them in their yard waste bins for free recycling.
Compost facilities: Residents can also drop trees off at local composting facilities such as Pacific Topsoils, which has multiple locations in Snohomish County that will accept trees for $3 each. See www.pacifictopsoils.com or 800-884-7645.
You can also search 1800recycle.wa.gov to find other composting facilities in your area.
Snohomish County Solid Waste: Snohomish County will accept Christmas trees for $5 per tree, flocked or not, at its three transfer stations through March 31. Search “solid waste” at www1.co.snohomish.wa.us for transfer station information or call 425-388-3425.
Sarah Jackson: 425-339-3037, sjackson@heraldnet.com.
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