HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Have a live Christmas tree? You don't have to put it out with the trash. You can recycle it, and the residents of Pecan Grove Farm in Athens would be happy to take it off your hands. Owner Justin VanHoozer explains why.
"So, I saw an article about alpacas eating Christmas trees, I think it was from the UK. So, we got all these pine trees back here, right? Whenever one of those branches fall, they tear up those pine needles. It just kind of got me thinking like, Hey, hay is expensive, right? People got a bunch of trees. They throw it away that's kind of, you know, it's useful. I got a lot of uses for wood like that."
If you have a tree you want to donate, take it to 17656 W Washington St. in Athens. VanHoozer says he'll post videos of the alpacas eating the trees.
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Want another way to recycle those trees? Operation Christmas Cleanup will recycle your “undressed” tree along with plain cardboard boxes, batteries, and old electronics at no cost to you.
This limited recycling collection event will take place Saturday, Jan. 7, from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. at two locations: John Hunt Park, 2315 Airport Road, and Madison City Schools Stadium, 211 Celtic Drive.
Here’s what you can drop off:
- Live Christmas trees
- Flattened and broken-down cardboard boxes
- Batteries
- Electronics
To recycle a live Christmas tree, participants must remove all lights and ornaments. No artificial trees, wrapping paper, or packaging materials such as styrofoam and plastic will be accepted.
Operation Christmas Cleanup is sponsored by the City of Huntsville’s Green Team, City of Madison, Madison County, Solid Waste Disposal Authority and its curbside recycling program, Recycling Alliance of North Alabama.
In case of rain, the event will be rescheduled on Saturday, January 14.
For more information about Huntsville-area recycling efforts, go to recycling-alliance.com or visit Green Team – City of Huntsville.