So the holidays are over and all the shopping frenzy seems to disappear. You must have removed holiday lights and decoration.

What you did with your Christmas tree? Did you throw it in your local trash?

Well, there are several ways you can recycle your Christmas tree. The main thing is to keep from having a mountain of trees being buried in landfills across the country where it will take many years for the tree mass to be broken down into humus. Moreover, the rich organic matter that will finally develop doesn't do most plants any good since it is buried so deep in the ground.

Several cities take the tree for free and recycle them. Trees should be placed in designated areas where special collection bins are located, with all tree stands, lights and ornaments removed. Please check with you local city authorities and find the details on where the trees can be accepted for recycling.

Real Christmas Trees are biodegradable, which means they can be easily reused or recycled for mulch and other purposes. Chipping trees, whether with a home chipper/shredder or at a local facility, reduces the waste volume dramatically and provides a product that can be used as mulch immediately or can be added to a compost pile. The mulch works perfectly on pathways since it is mostly wood chips and will take longer to break down. Putting this down in the walkways of a vegetable garden is a great way to use it. If you want to put it around plants, add some additional nitrogen next spring to help the microorganisms break down the wood chips into humus.

You probably already have your recycling plan in mind, but just in case you want to recycle your tree and are not sure how: check out Earth911 for tips on the tree recycling options nearest to you.

Another option is to submerge your tree in a local pond or reservoir to provide fish habitat or structure. This is very common around our larger lakes and reservoirs and these submerged trees provide a valuable resource for the fish ecosystem.

I hope you will take the opportunity to recycle your Christmas tree and mark the New Year with a goal to turn your life greener and more responsible to the environment.