Menu

Christmas tree

Bunny in snow with pine tree for shelter

It’s Easy Being Green

, , , , , ,

Bunny in snow with pine tree for shelterContrary to what Kermit the Frog sings, it IS easy being green.  Times have changed for the better since that song was released in the 1970’s, and now there are plenty of resources to help Virginians live more sustainably.

For example, fresh grown Christmas trees are naturally green, of course, but they can become very un-green after the holidays.  Here are some useful, environmentally sound ways to make your spent Christmas tree or fallen tree limbs useful.

See if you are able to borrow a woodchipper, or get together with neighbors to rent a woodchipper.  Everyone could chip their tree or other branches to create mulch for under bushes.  It will offer protection from winter freezes, retain moisture, and suppress weeds in the Spring.

Christmas tree trunks can be sawn into thin slices to be used for fun projects around the house, such as ornaments or small signs.  Trivets and coasters can be made by applying a soft scrap fabric to the bottom of the rounds to protect furniture.  Saw different thicknesses of trunk wood to use as flowerpot rests, or to use as risers for votive candles to create a beautiful display.  If the branch or tree trunk is sturdy, you can cut off the bottom and use the remaining base as a rustic outdoor stand for a birdbath, bird feeder, or flowerpot stand.

You can chop tree trunks and branches into smaller pieces to use for next Summer’s outdoor fires.  It’s not recommended to burn a fresh pine tree in the fireplace or a wood stove indoors. The resulting creosote buildup can possibly ignite and cause a house fire.Carolina Wren in pine tree as shelter in the Winter

A simple task that’s naturally sustainable is to place the tree in a back corner of your yard or garden to make a free, all-natural habit for wildlife.  Carolina wrens will shelter there and hunt for insects.  You can also add suet, peanut butter, or birdseed to the branches to feed birds.  Bunnies will also appreciate the shelter during cold weather too.

If you have a pond or water garden, you can submerge sections of a tree or branches to create habitat for fish or other aquatic life.

If you don’t have the desire or space for Christmas tree projects, please recycle your tree instead of sending it to the landfill!  Check with the solid waste department in your city or county to learn what their policy is for tree collections.  Some retail stores and museums will also serve as collection sites to make good use of donated trees for animals or as mulch for area residents.

Santa Clause with Christmas tree saying Recycle Right

Help Santa by Recycling Right

, , , , ,

Santa Clause with Christmas tree saying Recycle RightWe recently heard that Santa wants to make the North Pole a Zero-Waste community by 2025.  The Elves are working diligently to be more sustainable.  It would be good to help them out by doing our part too!

According to the Recycling Center at Stanford University, Americans create 25% more waste during the holidays. That includes packaging materials, shipping boxes, wrapping paper, and more.

Sometimes it’s difficult to know what we can add to the recycling bin and what we cannot add.  The answers may vary by your location in Virginia, but there are some generalizations.  And remember, the new mantra (sadly) is, “When in doubt, throw it out.”  When an unrecyclable item is added to a pile of otherwise recyclable items, it contaminates the whole pile, generating even more waste to go to the landfill.

Looking at the Christmas holiday, here are some guidelines as to which items are NICE to recycle, and which items are NAUGHTY to put in the recycling bin.

First, the Naughty list.  If you add these items to your curbside recycling bin or include them with your trip to the convenience center will not make Santa (or the recycling plant managers) happy:

  • Christmas tree lights.  The long cords can get wrapped around the sorting machinery, causing major problems.  If a strand of lights isn’t working, you can often replace the little fuse or a burnt-out light with the package of extra supplies that comes with the lights.
  • Christmas Cards with glitter.  You don’t like that glittery stuff all over your house, and neither do the folks at the paper processing plant.
  • Shiny bows.  Unless you’ve made them yourself from recyclable material, save your shiny bows for next year.

Now the Nice list!  These items are good to gather up and add to your recycling bin.

  • Wrapping paper that is made of, well, paper.   If it’s not obvious, like brown craft paper or newspaper, scrunch up the paper in your hand; if it stays in a ball it CAN be recycled. But if it springs open it most likely cannot be recycled.
  • Cardboard boxes from shipping or gift packaging.  Open them up at the seams and flatten them before adding them to your other recyclable paper products.
  • O Tannenbaum!  Yes, a live Christmas tree can be very purposeful after celebrations of the holiday are over. Often trees are added to beaches to help retain sand dunes.  Some retail locations, such as Chicho’s Pizza in Virginia Beach, accept trees after Christmas.  Or you can put your tree in a corner of your backyard for birds and small creatures to use as shelter in the winter.  You can also check with your local zoo or wildlife shelter to see if they will accept trees this year to give to some of their animals who enjoy exploring new objects in their environment.

So be a good elf yourself by recycling responsibly!