NEW YORK — The carbon footprint of the holiday season -- from eating and drinking to giving and receiving -- can weigh heavily on the environment. Household waste increases by more than 25% from Thanksgiving to New Year's, from 4 million to 5 million tons, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
After the holiday, it's important to think about the best way to dispose of organic decorations, including everything from Christmas trees to wreaths and poinsettias, according to Keep America Beautiful, a community improvement nonprofit.
An estimated 25 million to 30 million live Christmas trees are purchased in the U.S. every year, according to the Sierra Club.
Tree recycling and mulching programs are a fast-growing trend in communities across the country, according to the National Christmas Tree Association. They chip and shred the trees, making mulch that can be used for landscaping.
Recycled Christmas trees can even be used to combat coastal erosion. For over 25 years, New Orleans has partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Louisiana Army National Guard in an annual Christmas Tree Recycling Program.
Organic materials, including food waste, are responsible for 58% of fugitive methane emissions from municipal solid waste landfills, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.