If you want to reduce the environmental impact of your holiday, choose a real Christmas tree rather than an artificial one. Though this may come as a surprise, artificial trees have a much higher carbon footprint than real trees unless they are used for at least a decade. Better yet is to choose a live potted tree instead of a cut one. Potted trees can be used for multiple years and ultimately planted to beautify your yard. We had a potted tree for several years in my family when I was growing up, and I have enjoyed watching that tree grow for nearly 30 years in my parents’ yard.
If you opt for a cut tree, there are several ways to properly dispose of your tree here in Tuolumne County. You can drop your trees off at Earth Resource Facility 14909 Camage Ave. in Sonora or at the Groveland Transfer Station 10700 Merrell Rd. in Groveland. Earth Resources will even give you a free load of mulch to help conserve water in your yard or add nutrients to your compost pile.
At these locations your used Christmas tree will be chipped and used for compost or mulch, or will be sent to a biomass plant to produce green energy. Properly disposing of your tree rather than throwing it in the trash can help reduce the footprint of your holiday season.