Christmas Trees

It wouldn’t be Christmas without a tree. With bright and colourful decorations and the child-like thrill when you see all the wrapped parcels under it, nothing says ‘it’s Christmas’ quite like your tree.

The debate about which type of tree is better for the environment is had every year, you could be all for an artificial tree but you may prefer to have a real tree.

We throw away a lot of items at Christmas, don’t make your tree one of them. Here’s a few ways for your tree to have a lower waste impact.

Reduce

• Have an artificial tree.  You can use your tree again and again.  It doesn’t have to be decorated the same way each year and at least you know it will fit the awkward spot between the sofa and TV every year!
• Hire a Christmas tree for your business (just search on line for companies).  You can hire a real tree, have it delivered and after Christmas the company will comeback and take it away – hopefully for re-use elsewhere.

Reuse

• Buy a real tree in a pot.  Keep your tree watered whilst indoors (it’ll drop needles and die if you forget) and put it in your garden for the rest of the year.  Next Christmas bring your bigger tree back indoors.
• Not for every living room, but plastic bottle trees are becoming more popular! Ealing Council brought one to west London in 2013 and it’s back in Southall this year.

Recycle

• If you put your tree out for recycling please remove all the decorations first. Your tree will be shredded and turned back in to a mulch, tinsel and plastic aren’t good ingredients.
• Take your real tree to your household waste and recycling centre  so it can be composted.
• Ask your local council if it can be collected with your green garden waste.  Make sure you take all the decorations off first.
• Your local council may do a Christmas tree recycling collection in the new year. Check out their website around Christmas to check or re-visit this page just after Christmas for details.