Recycle, reuse holiday items, including the tree, live garland

Joanne Williams
Editor

(Photo by Joanne Williams/FAN – Check with local recycling centers and tree farms, even zoos and animal rescues to recycle live Christmas trees.)

There is nothing sadder than seeing a Christmas tree abandoned on the side of the road. It has been stripped of its former beauty and laid bare, without purpose or trim.

Yet live Christmas trees still have so much to offer.

Numerous recycling centers will accept them – check with yours! Grand Ledge, Delta Township and Sunfield will do so.

If you are handy, you can chip your tree and use it for mulch.

If you love wildlife, mammals and even fish find use for the nutrients and cover of a fir. Some zoos and animal rescue organizations accept them, too.

You can also check with local tree farms. They may also use them to produce mulch.

For Eaton Rapids residents, according to Granger Waste Service, “Thanks to initiative taken by the City of Eaton Rapids, Granger and the City of Eaton Rapids have an agreement to help you RECYCLE MORE. Each resident of Eaton Rapids who has Granger trash service is eligible for street-side recycling at no additional cost. That’s right—you can have recycling collected at your house for no additional fee, just for being a Granger trash customer and living in the city limits of Eaton Rapids.”

And it’s not just recycling time for trees. Non-working string lights are also being recycled at Olivet, Sunfield and other locations through January. Be sure to check with your local recycling center and be aware of holiday hours as well.

Unfortunately, much of the gift wrap used to decorate presents and such is not recyclable. If you are in doubt, check with your local recycling center. If the paper is coated, decorated, or shiny, it will have to go in the garbage.

In Olivet, the town recycling center on Butterfield Highway, just west of the city, now has new hours for residents  – Wednesdays, 2 to 6 p.m. No more morning times. The city also has a composting site available for residents, where trees, grass, yard waste and leaves may be deposited, also on Butterfield Highway, to the east of Main Street.