San Bernadino County Dreaming of a “Green” Holiday Season
San Bernardino, CA—When the presents have all been opened and the family leaves town, what will you do with your holiday tree this year? Zero Waste Communities, an organization dedicated to educating the community on issues related to reducing, reusing and recycling waste, encourages residents to recycle their holiday trees in an effort to help keep San Bernardino County thinking green.
Today, according to Earth911.com, there are approximately 30-35 million real holiday trees sold in North America every year, and around 98 percent of these trees are grown on farms throughout all 50 states and Canada. Once trees are collected, they can be recycled in many ways, ranging from composting to being mulched into new material. Recycled trees can be used to provide beachfront erosion prevention, or can be made into chippings found on a hiking trail.
Holiday tree recycling has become increasingly popular and necessary trend over the last decade. In fact, according to Earth911.com, 93 percent of consumers who used a real holiday tree in 2006 recycled theirs in some type of community program.
Zero Waste Communities want to ensure that all residents in San Bernardino County are aware of why it is important to recycle their trees, and how they can go about doing so.
“These trees are a renewable and recyclable resource,” said Olivia Sanchez, Project Manager for Zero Waste Communities. “Many people don’t recognize that, by recycling their holiday tree, they are making an impact, and are joining a larger effort to improve the environment.”
Zero Waste Communities, made up of representatives from 16 cities and towns within San Bernardino County, is urging residents to learn more about how and why to recycle their holiday tree by contacting their local recycling coordinator. This contact information can be found by visiting www.zerowastecommunities.org.
Additionally, the organization is offering holiday tree vendors the opportunity to display tags on their unsold trees, reminding buyers to recycle their tree once the holidays are over. The tag will also explain how to go about recycling the tree.
Zero Waste Communities wants to remind recyclers to remove all ornaments, tinsel, and lights before recycling their tree. Additionally, flocked trees are not always accepted for recycling, so please remember to contact your local recycling coordinator for any questions.
