Culture
Giving Christmas Trees a Second Life
They don’t all have to go into the chipper.
Once the carols wind down, the presents are unwrapped, and the ornaments packed away, what happens to the Christmas trees? Americans buy 25 to 30 million fresh-cut evergreens each year, according to the National Christmas Tree Association. While some are turned to mulch and wood chips after the holidays, many end up in landfills.
That doesn’t have to be the end of the story, though. A used-up tree can take on a whole new life—one that’s less festive but far more environmentally friendly.