Dec 30, 2023 at 8:01 AM Update: 2 minutes ago
Christmas is over again, so all the decorations can go back in the closet. But what is a good way to get rid of your Christmas tree?
Traditionally, you can leave the Christmas tree up until Epiphany (January 6). This holiday symbolizes the end of the Christmas celebration. Yet most trees end up on the street in the first days after Christmas.
That’s a real shame, if you consider that it takes a tree seven to eight years to reach the right size. Fortunately, there are ways to give your Christmas tree a second life or recycle it in a sustainable way.
Plant your tree in the backyard or at a nursery
If you bought a Christmas tree with a root ball, you can plant it back yourself. For example in your backyard.
Did you get your tree from a grower? Then you can often return it to the nursery after Christmas. The grower plants the tree (with root ball) back in the ground and takes good care of it. This way, the Christmas trees can be reused year after year and have a much longer life.
Photo: ANP
Hand in your tree to the municipality
Trees without a root ball can also be reused. In many municipalities you can hand in your tree at certain locations. The municipality will then ensure that your tree ends up in the right place.
For example, in Amsterdam you have a public return point on almost every street corner. The municipality makes compost from most of the Christmas trees. In Rotterdam you can hand in your tree at special collection points. That pays off, because you get 50 cents for every Christmas tree handed in. The trees are processed into wood chips, which are used, for example, in playgrounds in the city.
Bonfire? Rather not
In many places it is traditional to put all the trees in a pile and set them on fire. This happens every year in Scheveningen and Duindorp, for example. Although many people find this a fun tradition, experts say it is the least sustainable way to get rid of your Christmas tree. This has to do with the large amount of CO2 that is released.
Image: ANP
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ClimateEconomyChristmas
2023-12-30 07:01:13
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